Piper PA-32R-301T N8178N

Summary

On 10 April 1986 at about 20:05 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T registered N8178N, operated by Hawkeye Eagle Trailers, was involved in an accident near Perry, Iowa, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

10 April 1986 at 20:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Perry, Iowa, United States

Coordinates

41.8406, -94.0907

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-301T

Registration

N8178N

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hawkeye Eagle Trailers

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Perry → Schaller

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MKC86LA084

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE PIC NOTICED A LOSS OF ENGINE PWR AND FLAMES ERUPTING FROM THE ENGINE COWLING. THE PIC EXECUTED A TURN BACK TO THE ARPT AS THICK BLACK SMOKE FILLED THE COCKPIT. THE PIC OPENED THE SIDE VENT WINDOW TO MAINTAIN SIGHT OF THE GROUND AND LANDED THE ACFT IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE PIC EXITED THE ACFT AND USED AND HAND HELD EXTINGUISHER TO COMBAT THE FLAMES BELCHING FM THE ENGINE COWLING. THE ENSUING FIRE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED THE ACFT. INSPECTION OF THE FIRE AREA REVEALED AN EXHAUST V-CLAMP LOOSE AND A DISTORTED GASKET AT THE EXHAUST JOINTS. THIS ALLOWED BLOW-BY OF THE HOT EXHAUST GASES WHICH MELTED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP CONNECTION SPEWING RAW FUEL INTO THE HOT ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD BEEN REMOVED TO REWORK A CYLINDER AND RE-INSTALLED 6 HOURS PRIOR TO THIS FLT. THE GASKET WAS DISTORTED DURING THE RE-ASSEMBLY OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.