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20090714013519A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-46-310P · Westley, CA · July 14, 2009

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 14, 2009 · 10:30 local
Place
Westley, CA
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N330HT
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR09LA341
Reported as
Piper PA46310P
Reported engine
Continental TSIO550C
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
14,213 total3,110 in this make and model164 in the last 90 days
N330HTRegistered now · Piper PA-46-310PS/N 468408010Airframe modelPiper PA-46-310P

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On July 14, 2009, N330HT a Piper PA-46-310P, with the owner and instructor pilot onboard conducting a biennial flight review. During this instruction and air work, the ip seated in the co-pilots position noted smoke coming from the floorboard area which filled the cabin, the upper engine cowl began to show indications of fire and paint discoloration. The smoke was dissipated to some extent was from the cabin by the opening of the pilots window. The aircraft began to lose engine power with a loss of altitude requiring an emergency landing in a cultivated field 2 miles north of Westley CA. Upon contact with the ground the nose gear collapsed. The owner and ip exited the aircraft. The engine nacelle fire began to subside and was out upon arrival of the local fire protection. With engine cowling removed extensive fire damge was found at the engine firewall and engine accessory area with numerous hoses, drive belts, burnt. The nose gear doors showed fire damage that had burned through into the nose gear.

As the FAA filed it

ON JULY 14, 2009, N330HT A PIPER PA-46-310P, WITH THE OWNER AND INSTRUCTOR PILOT ONBOARD CONDUCTING A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. DURING THIS INSTRUCTION AND AIR WORK, THE IP SEATED IN THE CO-PILOTS POSITION NOTED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FLOORBOARD AREA WHICH FILLED THE CABIN, THE UPPER ENGINE COWL BEGAN TO SHOW INDICATIONS OF FIRE AND PAINT DISCOLORATION. THE SMOKE WAS DISSIPATED TO SOME EXTENT WAS FROM THE CABIN BY THE OPENING OF THE PILOTS WINDOW. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO LOSE ENGINE POWER WITH A LOSS OF ALTITUDE REQUIRING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A CULTIVATED FIELD 2 MILES NORTH OF WESTLEY CA. UPON CONTACT WITH THE GROUND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE OWNER AND IP EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. THE ENGINE NACELLE FIRE BEGAN TO SUBSIDE AND WAS OUT UPON ARRIVAL OF THE LOCAL FIRE PROTECTION. WITH ENGINE COWLING REMOVED EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMGE WAS FOUND AT THE ENGINE FIREWALL AND ENGINE ACCESSORY AREA WITH NUMEROUS HOSES, DRIVE BELTS, BURNT. THE NOSE GEAR DOORS SHOWED FIRE DAMAGE THAT HAD BURNED THROUGH INTO THE NOSE GEAR.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR09LA341Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWestley, CAThe failure of the landing gear hydraulic line socket, which resulted in a hydraulic leak and in-flight fire. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the owner and/or maintenance facility to comply with the maintenance manual hose replacement schedule.Jul 14, 2009 · Substantial damage