Piper PA-32R-301T N8069S

Summary

On 20 July 1988 at about 07:25 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T registered N8069S, operated by Smith, Loren E., was involved in an accident near Chicago, Illinois, 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

20 July 1988 at 07:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Midway (MDW)

Coordinates

41.7805, -87.7702

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-301T

Registration

N8069S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Smith, Loren E.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Plainfield → Utica

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI88LA170

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

DURING CLIMBOUT AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FIRE AND DIVERTED TO CHICAGO'S MIDWAY AIRPORT FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT EXECUTED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, THE FUEL SUPPLY, AND ALL ELECTRICAL LOAD. WHEN THE PILOT KNEW HE HAD THE RUNWAY MADE, HE SELECTED THE GEAR DOWN POSITION WITH THE GEAR HANDLE, BUT ELECTED NOT TO VERIFY GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED FOR SAFETY REASONS. THE GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND; A GEAR UP LANDING ENSUED. IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WOULD DROP WHEN THE GEAR HANDLE WAS ACTIVATED. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT REVEALED THAT THE FIRE WAS THE RESULT OF A LOOSE LINE FITTING ON A FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLE WHICH ALLOWED RAW FUEL TO SPRAY INTO THE COMPARTMENT; SPECIFICALLY, ONTO THE TURBO-CHARGER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS JACKED UP AND REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY BEFORE AN INVESTIGATOR ARRIVED ON THE SCENE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.