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June 23, 1982 · Piper PA-32RT-300T PA-32RT-30 · N31912

Durango, CO

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 23, 1982
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (4 uninjured)
Location
Durango, CO
Aircraft
Piper PA-32RT-300T PA-32RT-30
Tail Number
N31912
Operator
Durango Flying Service
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
DEN82DA110

The pilot reported that after taking off, dense white smoke began to fill the cockpit and seemed to come from under the instrument panel. He stated that the instruments were in the normal operating range, but the smoke became so dense that the visibility in the cockpit was reduced to a few inches. The passenger in the right front seat was also a pilot and assisted in navigating back to the airport. The aircraft was landed downwind on runway 20, and after touchdown, the nose gear collapsed. An examination revealed that a turbocharger exhaust coupling had failed and allowed hot exhaust gases to expel into the engine compartment. The oil pressure hose line melted and oil was sprayed onto the turbocharger and mixed with the hot gases and burned. The smoke entered the cockpit through the vent beneath the instrument panel. An examination of the nose gear revealed that the gear down lock springs were damaged by fire, thus allowing the nose gear to collapse.

Full Narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKING OFF, DENSE WHITE SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE COCKPIT AND SEEMED TO COME FROM UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENTS WERE IN THE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE, BUT THE SMOKE BECAME SO DENSE THAT THE VISIBILITY IN THE COCKPIT WAS REDUCED TO A FEW INCHES. THE PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT WAS ALSO A PILOT AND ASSISTED IN NAVIGATING BACK TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED DOWNWIND ON RUNWAY 20, AND AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST COUPLING HAD FAILED AND ALLOWED HOT EXHAUST GASES TO EXPEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE OIL PRESSURE HOSE LINE MELTED AND OIL WAS SPRAYED ONTO THE TURBOCHARGER AND MIXED WITH THE HOT GASES AND BURNED. THE SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT THROUGH THE VENT BENEATH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AN EXAMINATION OF THE NOSE GEAR REVEALED THAT THE GEAR DOWN LOCK SPRINGS WERE DAMAGED BY FIRE, THUS ALLOWING THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:00 MDT
Nearest AirportDurango Laplata Co. (0nm N)
Runway20
Runway Length9200 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledVFR
Aircraft FireBoth
Aircraft ExplosionBoth

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-32RT-300T PA-32RT-30
Tail NumberN31912
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorDurango Flying Service
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · TIO-540-51AD · Reciprocating
Seats7

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (4 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured4
Total4
Crew 1Age 33 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind350° @ 8 kt
Visibility75 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point16 C / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time17:35

Appendix: Source Data