Piper PA28 N15417

Summary

On 27 July 2023 at about 18:41 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N15417, operated by Knoxville Flight Training Academy, was involved in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 July 2023 at 18:41

Classification

Accident

Location

Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Knoxville Downtown Island Airp (DKX)

Coordinates

35.9638, -83.8737

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N15417

Category

Airplane

Year built

1972

Engines

1

Operator

Knoxville Flight Training Academy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA347

Nobody was injured.

An in-flight fire that resulted from an inadequate 100-hr inspection, which failed to detect and correct improper electrical cable routing in the engine compartment.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

When the flight instructor initiated a takeoff roll, the engine rpm initially increased to 2,200, then decreased to 800, followed by flames emanating from the engine cowling. The flight instructor rejected the takeoff, secured the engine, and exited the airplane on the runway; however, the fire continued in the engine compartment until airport personnel were able to extinguish it. Postaccident examination of the engine compartment revealed that about a 25 to 30-in length of starter motor electrical lead was not clamped and had drooped down on top of the fuel primer line. Metal beads on top of the fuel primer line were consistent with chaffing and welding due to contact from the electrical lead. It is likely that arcing from the lead ignited fuel in the fuel primer line. The airplane had been operated for 73 hours during a 1-month period following its most recent 100-hr inspection. The electrical lead drooping down and resting on top of the fuel primer line was contrary to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and aircraft manufacturer maintenance instructions regarding proper routing and should have been identified and corrected during the most recent 100-hr inspection.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.