# NTSB CHI95LA196: Piper PA-32R, N39620, Columbia, MO, June 23, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 23, 1995, 15:10 local (20:10 UTC) - Place: Columbia, MO - Location: 38.8964° N, 92.1706° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from COLUMBIA RGNL (COU), within about 2 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8964&lon=-92.1706&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 27, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9923 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI95LA196 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9923/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=9923 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA196 ## Probable cause A LOOSE (OR MISSING) NUT AND CLIP FOR THE BOTTOM MAGNETO STUD, DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, AND FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE MAGNETO HOUSING FLANGE, WHICH RESTULTED IN AN OIL LEAK, ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, AND A FORCED LANDING. A FACTOR RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE NECESSITY FOR THE PILOT TO DELAY EXTENDING THE LANDING GEAR, SO THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS AND REACH A FAVORABLE LANDING AREA. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - normal - ignition system,magneto - loose part/bolt/nut/clamp/etc (cause) - maintenance - inadequate (cause) - ignition system,magneto - fatigue (cause) - ignition system,magneto - separation (cause) - Fire, cruise - fluid,oil - leak (cause) - engine compartment - fire (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - high obstruction(s) (contributing factor) - gear extension - delayed (contributing factor) - landing gear - collapsed ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HEARD A MUFFLED EXPLOSION FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE QUIT AND FLAMES STARTED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COWLING. THE CABIN BEGAN FILLING WITH SMOKE, AND OIL BEGAN SPEWING ONTO THE WINDSCREEN. THE PILOT SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED PROCEDURES FOR IN-FLIGHT FIRE AND SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. HE THEN MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. HOWEVER, BEFORE LANDING, THE PILOT DELAYED GEAR EXTENSION, SO THAT HE COULD REMAIN CLEAR OF OBSTRUCTIONS AND REACH A SUITABLE LANDING AREA. THE GEAR DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BE FULLY EXTENDED, AND IT COLLAPSED ON TOUCHDOWN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE DUAL MAGNETO HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE. THE BOTTOM MAGNETO HOLD DOWN CLIP WAS FOUND IN THE COWLING, BUT NEITHER THE LOCKWASHER OR NUT WERE RECOVERED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF THE MAGNETO HOUSING REVEALED TWO LONGITUDINAL MARKINGS (CHIPPED PAINT). THE BOTTOM CLIP HAD A SPACING WHICH MATCHED THE CHIPPED PAINT ON THE MAGNETO HOUSING, AS IF THE CLIP HAD MOVED LONGITUDINALLY RELATIVE TO THE HOUSING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE TOP MAGNETO HOUSING FLANGE, WHICH HAD SEPARATED FROM THE MAGNETO, REVEALED FRACTURE SURFACE MARKINGS INDICATIVE OF FATIGUE CRACKING BEFORE THE ONSET OF OVERSTRESS SEPARATION. ## Factual narrative On June 23, 1995, at 1510 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32R, N39620, sustained substantial damage from an emergency landing in a field. The pilot had shut down the engine after an engine fire and smoke in the cockpit. The commercial pilot reported no injury. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight departed Iowa City, Iowa, en route to Point Lookout, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he was cruising at 10,000 feet mean sea level and that all instrument indications were normal. At about 18 to 19 miles north of the Columbia Regional Airport, Columbia, Missouri, he heard a muffled explosion from the engine compartment. The engine quit, and flames started coming out of the top left louvre of the engine cowling. The cabin began filling with smoke, and oil began spewing onto the windscreen. He shut off the fuel flow and began an emergency descent. He reported he successfully executed the in-flight fire, and smoke in the cockpit procedures. He then began looking for a field to make an emergency landing. He picked out a hay field and put the gear down after clearing a powerline. However, the gear did not have enough time to fully extend, and the gear collapsed at the time of impact. The airplane came to a stop after about a 200 foot skid with no subsequent fire. The airplane was inspected by an Airworthiness Inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration. He reported that the Bendix dual magneto had separated from the engine. Futher investigation revealed that the lower magneto mounting nut and holding clip were missing. The upper magneto mounting nut and clip were still attached to the stud bolt. Attached to the top clip was the magneto gasket and a portion of the housing flange that had separated from the magneto housing. He reported that from the conditions viewed, it appeared that the lower nut and clip came off at some time, and that the upper nut and clip held the magneto in place until it failed from overstress. An examination of the Bendix dual magneto, model number D6LN-2031, serial number 19875K, was conducted by the Materials Laboratory Division of the National Transportation Safety Board on October 31, 1995. An inspection was made of the bottom surface of the magneto housing in the area where the bottom clip normally fastens to the magneto. The examination revealed that two longitudinal markings (chipped paint) were apparent away from the flange. The bottom clip had a spacing which matched the chipped paint on the magneto housing, as if the clip had moved longitudinally relative to the housing which produced longitudinal marks in the housing. The Materials Laboratory examination of the top magneto housing flange, which had separated from the magneto, revealed fracture surface markings indicative in fatigue cracking before the onset of overstress separations. (See attachments) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N39620](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N39620-2012-09-24), registration cancelled 2012-09-24, S/N 32R-7887123, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32R - Registry model: [Piper PA-32RT-300T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300t) (registry code 7103216) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32R-7887123 - Airframe hours: 1766 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540-S1AD 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard A. Kuehn - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 15, 1994, 46 hours before - Departed: IOW, IOWA CITY, IA - Destination: PLK, POINT LOOKOUT, MO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: COU, Colombia Regional Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,186 total, 765 in this make and model, 994 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: COU, 6 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950623022539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950623022539A), Jun 23, 1995: Piper PA32RT300T, Columbia, MO, Substantial damage. Engine exploded flames from cowl at cruise. Oil on shield. Smoke in cabin. Landed. Magneto separated. Bolts missing ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 5, 1996, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=9923. 703 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 347 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438960&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Metallurgist's Factual Report (item 2, .PDF, 225 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438961&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Metallurgist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 83 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40040626&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 4, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40438962&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.