- Date
- November 17, 1982, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tonopah, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3642APiper 601P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 17, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19821117059109A
- Case key
- 72839
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
As the acft reached 15,500 ft, aprx 30 mi from the dep arpt, the plt & pax noted fumes that irritated the eyes & caused dizziness & breathing difficulties. The plt reversed course, then elected to make an emerg lndg on a dirt road. Drg the lndg roll-out, the left wing struck 1 or more metal posts. When the plt & pax evacuated thru the plt's door, flames were obsvd eminating form the aft portion of the lft wing & the lft main tire & whl were burning. The fire had self-extinguished prior to the arrival of emerg equipment. An examination revealed svrl burned elec wires under the lwr lft inst panel. The burned wires were cnctd the strobe lgt, sfc de-icer & windshield heat or prop de-ice sws, as well as 3 unused wires. The source of the elec fire was not dtrmd. No direct relationship was found between the burned wiring in the cockpit and the fire on the left wing & gear. A dent with chordwise gashes was found on the left wing. Fuel stains surrounded the gashes.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3642A
- Reported as
- Piper 601P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 61P-08288063
- Airframe hours
- 258
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-P1A5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James E. Jenkins
- Registered owner
- David M. Keller
- Departed
- TPH · Tonopah, NV
- Destination
- 004 · Carson City, NV
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 200 in this make and model · 2,000 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 70 statute miles
- Temperature
- 111 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TPH, 25 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.
Other investigations on N3642A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.