Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

April 30, 1982 · Piper PA-31-350 · N53RT

Enterprise, AL

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Incident
Date
April 30, 1982
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (7 uninjured)
Location
Enterprise, AL
Aircraft
Piper PA-31-350
Tail Number
N53RT
Operator
Huntsville Aviation
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Minor
NTSB Number
ATL82IA121

Shortly after liftoff, the pilot felt the aircraft yaw left and noticed that the left engine manifold pressure had dropped from 42" Hg to 29" Hg. He analysed a turbocharger failure and elected to keep the engine running in the normally aspirated mode. At approximately 400' the pilot saw smoke and fire coming from the right side of the engine. He secured and feathered the engine and made a single engine landing. Subsequent examination revealed the right side common exhaust pipe from the #1, 3 and 5 cylinders to the turbo had separated. This separation allowed hot exhaust gases to impinge on the engine compartment and burn through the cowl and several wires. It was determined that the detached part had been replaced 1.5 hours prior to the incident. Investigation revealed that a wrong replacement part was used which was shorter than the required part. Installation was possible due to overlapping exhaust tube slip joints. Poor organization and numbering of parts catalogs was cited by the maintenance facility as contributing to the installation error.

Full Narrative

SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THE PILOT FELT THE AIRCRAFT YAW LEFT AND NOTICED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE MANIFOLD PRESSURE HAD DROPPED FROM 42" HG TO 29" HG. HE ANALYSED A TURBOCHARGER FAILURE AND ELECTED TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING IN THE NORMALLYASPIRATED MODE. AT APPROXIMATELY 400' THE PILOT SAW SMOKE AND FIRE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. HE SECURED AND FEATHERED THE ENGINE AND MADE A SINGLE ENGINE LANDING. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE RIGHT SIDE COMMON EXHAUSTPIPE FROM THE #1,3 AND 5 CYLINDERS TO THE TURBO HAD SEPARATED. THIS SEPARATION ALLOWED HOT EXHAUST GASES TO IMPINGE ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND BURN THROUGH THE COWL AND SEVERAL WIRES. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DETACHED PART HAD BEEN REPLACED 1.5 HOURS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A WRONG REPLACEMENT PART WAS USED WHICH WAS SHORTER THAN THE REQUIRED PART. INSTALLATION WAS POSSIBLE DUE TO OVERLAPPING EXHAUST TUBE SLIP JOINTS. POOR ORGANIZATIONAND NUMBERING OF PARTS CATALOGS WAS CITED BY THE MAINTENENCE FACILITY AS CONTRIBUTING TO THE INSTALLATION ERROR.

Flight

Event TypeIncident
Event Time15:50 CDT
Nearest AirportEnterprise Municipal (0nm N)
Runway5
Runway Length3500 ft
Runway Width80 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireIflt
Aircraft ExplosionIflt

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-31-350
Tail NumberN53RT
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageMinor
OperatorHuntsville Aviation
Operating RulePart 135
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · TIO-540-J28D · Reciprocating · 350
Seats10

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (7 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured7
Total7
Crew 1Age 63 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind45° @ 7 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0

Appendix: Source Data