# NTSB WPR10LA128: Piper PA-32R-301T, N1060X, Dolan Springs, AZ, February 4, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 4, 2010, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Dolan Springs, AZ - Coordinates: 35.697776, -114.080558 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6978&lon=-114.0806&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 21, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Piper Aircraft Inc., Lycoming Engines, Federal Aviation Administration FSDO - ADs cited in the narratives: [AD 2008-14-07](https://openairdocs.org/ad/2008-14-07) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 75341 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10LA128 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75341/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75341 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA128 ## Probable cause The fuel flow divider inlet line nut coming loose during cruise flight, resulting in a fuel leak and in-flight fire. The root cause of the loose B-nut fitting could not be determined. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to fly the airplane with a known deficiency. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine fuel and control: fuel distribution](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057310): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057310/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 55 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057310/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot/owner reported that about 30 minutes into the flight, he began to smell fuel. A short time later, the smell became stronger and was accompanied by a sensation of deceleration with no corresponding engine roughness. He immediately initiated an emergency descent and landed in a dry lake bed. During the landing flare, smoke began to stream from the front of the airplane, and after landing the fuselage was consumed by fire. Examination of the fuel inlet line which connects the fuel servo to the fuel flow divider revealed that it was approximately 1 1/2 turns loose at the 'B' nut fitting at the fuel flow divider. Fueling records indicated that at minimum, the airplane had flown 25 to 40 hours since the annual inspection, which was completed 5 months prior to the accident. The mechanic who performed the annual inspection specifically recalled verifying that the 'B' nut fitting was secure. The pilot reported that prior to the annual inspection the airplane had not been producing full power at takeoff. According to the pilot the deficiency was not resolved during the inspection, or on subsequent return trips to the maintenance facility. The pilot continued to fly the airplane with the discrepancy. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 4, 2010, about 1500 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, N1060X, experienced an in-flight fire and force landed in a dry lake bed near Dolan Springs, Arizona. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The certificated commercial pilot/owner and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged by fire. The cross-country personal flight departed Saint George Municipal Airport, Saint George, Utah, about 1430, with a planned destination of Kingman Airport, Kingman, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that about 30 minutes into the flight, at an altitude of about 9,500 feet mean sea level, he became aware of the smell of fuel. A few seconds later the smell became stronger and was accompanied by a sensation of deceleration with no reported the engine roughness. The pilot immediately retarded the throttle, and initiated a descent with the intention of making a forced landing. As the pilot flared the airplane for landing, black smoke began to stream from the front of the airplane. During the landing rollout he shut off the master switch, and pulled the fuel mixture aft. After landing, the pilot and passenger immediately exited the airplane and relocated to a vantage point about 2 miles away where they were able to get cell phone reception coverage. For the next 2 hours they watched as the airplane continued to billow smoke, and eventually catch fire. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number 3257466 was manufactured in 2007, and equipped with a six-cylinder turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A engine. Maintenance Records The airplane's Hobbs hour meter, engine tachometer, and maintenance records were consumed in the post-accident fire. The airplane was maintained by the Atlantic Aviation/Pro-Air Aviation maintenance facility in Casper, Wyoming. A copy of an aircraft logbook entry obtained from Atlantic indicated that an annual inspection had been performed on September 10, 2009, at a total airframe time of 319.2 hours. Fueling records obtained from Atlantic indicated that between October 15, 2009, and January 15, 2010, the airplane had been fueled with 493.8 gallons of aviation gasoline. According to the Pilot Operating Handbook, applicable to the airplane type, the fuel burn at various cruise altitudes, temperatures, and power settings varies between 12.5 and 20 gallons per hour. Based on these values, the airplane had been flown at minimum for about 25 to 40 hours after the annual inspection. The pilot/owner reported that prior to the annual inspection the airplane was unable to produce what he considered maximum takeoff power. He believed that the problem was caused by stretched engine control cables, and as such brought this to the attention of Atlantic. The pilot stated that the problem persisted after the annual inspectionand he returned the airplane for continued troubleshooting. He reported that the discrepancy was not resolved at the time of the accident flight. The general manager for Atlantic recalled that the airplane had been returned to the facility after the annual inspection, that the travel for the engine control cables were rechecked with no anomalies noted, and the airplane was returned to service. TESTS AND RESEARCH Airframe The airplane was removed from the accident site and examined by the NTSB investigator-in-charge and representatives from Piper Aircraft, Inc., and Lycoming Engines. The fuselage from the firewall aft to the empennage was consumed by fire. Both wings were largely intact, sustained thermal damage inboard of the landing gear, and had become detached from the remaining fuselage. The fuel selector valve was thermally damaged, and its associated fuel lines were destroyed by fire. The Piper representative was able to verify that the fuel selector valve lever was in the OFF position. Engine The engine compartment forward of the firewall was coated in black soot. All of the engines' ancillary components sustained thermal damage. The fuel pump pressure regulator housing and the fuel flow transducer were consumed by fire. All fuel and oil lines were noted to be charred, intact, and still securely attached at their respective fittings. The engine controls were attached at their respective control arms. The turbocharger and associated components were intact. The fuel flow divider-to-fuel injector lines were intact and secure. Examination of the fuel inlet line which connects the fuel servo to the fuel flow divider revealed that it was approximately 1 1/2 turns loose at the 'B' nut fitting at the fuel flow divider. According to the Lycoming representative, the nut fitting on the line was made of stainless steel, with the associated fitting at the flow divider inlet made of steel. Removal of the 'B' nut revealed that its threads were intact and undamaged. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The engine was subject to an Airworthiness Directive (AD) number 2008-14-07. The aircraft log entry for the last annual inspection noted that this AD was complied with; the mechanic who performed the inspection also stated that in addition to the AD he also used a wrench to confirm the tightness of the fuel inlet line 'B' nut at the fuel flow divider. Examination of the maintenance records did not reveal any history of work that would have required removing the fuel flow divider or its associated inlet line. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1060X](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1060X-2018-01-09), registration cancelled 2018-01-09, S/N 3257466, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER AIRCRAFT INC PA-32R-301T - Registry model: [Piper PA-32R-301T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t) (registry code 7103221) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-ah1a) (registry code 42003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3257466 - Airframe hours: 319 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540-AH1A 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 10, 2009, 30 hours before - Departed: SGU, Saint George, UT - Destination: IGM, Kingman, AZ ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1,470 total, 380 in this make and model, 1,370 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: KIGM, 30 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 20100204027479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100204027479A), Feb 4, 2010: Piper Aircr PA-32R-301T, Kingman, AZ, Destroyed. Pilot[privacy data omitted] of Piper PA-32R-301T, N1060X, was enroute from st. george, Utah to Kingman, Arizona. While cruising at 9,500 feet pilot detected… ## Docket (14 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 19, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75341. 2.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 513 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332828&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Interview Summaries With Atlantic Aviation Representatives (item 2, .PDF, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332985&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview%20Summaries%20With%20Atlantic%20Aviation%20Representatives-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Airplane At Accident Site (item 3, .PDF, 145 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332832&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Airplane%20At%20Accident%20Site-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Engine and Aft Firewall at Accident Site (item 4, .PDF, 185 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332916&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Engine%20and%20Aft%20Firewall%20at%20Accident%20Site-Master.PDF - Photo 3 - Fuel Selector Valve (item 5, .PDF, 108 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332834&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20-%20Fuel%20Selector%20Valve-Master.PDF - Photo 4 - Forward Firewall (item 6, .PDF, 147 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332835&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20-%20Forward%20Firewall-Master.PDF - Photo 5 - Engine From Above (item 7, .PDF, 140 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332836&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%20-%20Engine%20From%20Above-Master.PDF - Photo 6 - Fuel Flow Divider Inlet Line (item 8, .PDF, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332918&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206%20-%20Fuel%20Flow%20Divider%20Inlet%20Line-Master.PDF - Photo 7 - Fuel Flow Divider Inlet Line Threads After Disassembly (item 9, .PDF, 372 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332987&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%207%20-%20Fuel%20Flow%20Divider%20Inlet%20Line%20Threads%20After%20Disassembly-Master.PDF - Annual Inspection Records (item 10, .PDF, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332838&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Annual%20Inspection%20Records-Redacted.PDF - N1060X Fueling Records (item 11, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332840&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=N1060X%20Fueling%20Records-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 12, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332842&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 13, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332843&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Operating Handbook Excerpts (item 14, .PDF, 490 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332847&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Operating%20Handbook%20Excerpts-Master.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.