20100201026609A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32R-301T · Reserve, NM · February 1, 2010

Date: February 1, 2010 · 18:00 local
Place: Reserve, NM
Airport: Reserve
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3565B
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN10CA111
Reported as: Piper PA-32R-301T
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 28,000 total27 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days

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.

Engine began to run rough after lift-off. During departure climb, pilot observed smoke in cabin and elected to return to T16. Toxic smoke filled cabin and pilot opened vent window for relief. Pilot landed aircraft without incident, pulled off runway, completed shut-down procedures and fought fire in nose baggage compartment with on-board fire extinguisher. Fire initiated at #5 cylinder injector spraying fuel on turbocharger, fuel ignited and burned through firewall, nose baggage compartment and into cabin.

As the FAA filed it

ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AFTER LIFT-OFF. DURING DEPARTURE CLIMB, PILOT OBSERVED SMOKE IN CABIN AND ELECTED TO RETURN TO T16. TOXIC SMOKE FILLED CABIN AND PILOT OPENED VENT WINDOW FOR RELIEF. PILOT LANDED AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INCIDENT, PULLED OFF RUNWAY, COMPLETED SHUT-DOWN PROCEDURES AND FOUGHT FIRE IN NOSE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT WITH ON-BOARD FIRE EXTINGUISHER. FIRE INITIATED AT #5 CYLINDER INJECTOR SPRAYING FUEL ON TURBOCHARGER, FUEL IGNITED AND BURNED THROUGH FIREWALL, NOSE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT AND INTO CABIN.

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 CEN10CA111Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportReserve, NMAn in-flight fire due to a fuel leak from the No. 5 cylinder's broken fuel injector/line.Feb 1, 2010 · Substantial damage