# Incident 20151029018009I: Piper PA-31-350, Huntsville, AL, October 29, 2015

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 29, 2015, 10:41 local time
- Place: Huntsville, AL
- Airport: Huntsville International-Carl T Jones F
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Run-Up Area
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6372° N, 86.7751° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HUNTSVILLE INTL-CARL T JONES FLD (HSV), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6372&lon=-86.7751&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1872H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1872H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 7,000 total, 350 in this make and model, 180 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151029018009I

## Narrative

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

PILOT TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY AND COMPLETED THE ENGINE RUN-UP CHECKS AT THE RUNWAY HOLD SHORT LINE.  WHEN PULLING THE THROTTLES BACK TO IDLE AFTER THE RUN-UP HE HEARD A SOUND THAT WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE FUEL VAPOR IGNITING.  AT THE TIME HE DIDN?T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.  THE PASSENGER INFORMED HIM THAT THE LEFT WALL PANEL HAD BEEN BLOWN OUT TOWARDS HIS LEG AND HE SAW SMOKE FROM THE VENT ON THE CENTER WING SPARE COVER. LATER INVESTIGATION REVEALED ENGINE FUEL PUMP SHAFT SEAL HAD FAILED ALLOWING FUEL TO SEEP OUT THE DRAIN LINE AND TRAVELED ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE WING SPAR AND COLLECTED IN THE BELLY OF THE FUSELAGE WHERE THE VAPORS IGNITED WHEN AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT ACTUATED.

## Other reports on N1872H (2)

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

- [Incident 20200229003759I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200229003759I), Feb 29, 2020: Piper PA-31-350 (N1872H), Hatch, NM, Minor damage. On February 29, 2020, at 1705 MST, a Piper PA-31, N1872H, registered to aerospace trust management, LLC, had an in-flight engine failure and the nose landing…
- [Incident 20020514012679I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020514012679I), May 14, 2002: Piper PA31350 (N1872H), Huntsville, AL, Minor damage. (-23) Pilot stated that after preflighting, the aircraft was boarded in preparation for flight. When the main battery switch was turned on, an aural warning…

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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