# Incident 20150326004799I: Piper PA-31-350, Lititz, PA, March 26, 2015

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 26, 2015, 14:39 local time
- Place: Lititz, PA
- Airport: Lancaster Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ITJA
- Location: 40.1224° N, 76.2944° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LANCASTER (LNS), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1224&lon=-76.2944&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3VM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3VM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-541 series (registry code 41536, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-541-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-541 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 20,100 total, 230 in this make and model, 139 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150326004799I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

DURING SUN AIR FLIGHT 2253, PIC DECLARED IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCY, AT 1436 EDT, APPROXIMATELY 10 NM WEST OF LNS AT 3500 MSL. PIC REPORTED BEING IN IMC CONDITIONS AND REQUESTING RETURN TO FIELD (LNS) DUE TO PARTIAL SEPARATION OF #2 ENGINE UPPER COWLING.

AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO LNS AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

INITIAL INVESTIGATION INDICATES MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL REPAIRED # 2 ENGINE IGNITION DISCREPANCY JUST PRIOR TO INCIDENT FLIGHT AND FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE # 2 ENGINE UPPER COWLING ASSEMBLY.

RECEIVED MECHANIC STATEMENT CONFIRMING FAILURE TO PROPERLY SECURE THE COWLING.

PIC REQUESTED A MEETING AT THE FSDO. PIC HAD A COMPLIANT ATTITUDE AND STATED DURING THE MEETING THAT HE SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE MECHANIC'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY SECURE THE COWLING.  INVESTIGATION DETERMINED IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE IF THE COWLING WAS SECURED PROPERLY BY A VISUAL INSPECTION ALONE. COUNSELING CONDUCTED WITH THE PIC.

## Other reports on N3VM (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20210926016059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210926016059A), Sep 26, 2021: Piper PA-31-350 (N3VM), Ft Lauderdale, FL, Substantial damage. On September 26, 2021, at approximately 15:24 eastern standard time (EST) a Piper PA-31-350, operating in accordance with part 135, departed malden municipal…
- [Incident 20140527012209I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140527012209I), May 27, 2014: Piper PA-31-350 (N3VM), Lititz, PA, Minor damage. The airman was cleared to land rwy 31 from a circling approach from rwy 8, on 5/27/2014, at approximately 1200 hours. As the airman was in the landing flare on…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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