Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marshall, Virginia 22115
Friday, September 10, 1993 15:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CLIMB TO CRUISE, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT FIRE. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND STATED THAT THEY SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE NOSE WHEEL AREA. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREE TOPS PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE LEFT INTERMEDIATE EXHAUST PIPE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE LEFT CROSS-OVER EXHAUST PIPE WHICH ALLOWED HOT GASES TO SPEW DIRECTLY INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE LEFT INTERMEDIATE PIPE FLANGE WAS CRACKED AND THE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE LEFT INTERMEDIATE AND CROSS-OVER PIPE WAS LESS THAN THE REQUIRED 1.5 INCHES. A CLAMP SECURING THE EXHAUST PIPES TO THE ACCESSORY CASE WAS MISSING. THE EXAMINATION ALSO REVEALED THAT NUMEROUS AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES WERE NOT COMPLIED WITH AND THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ON THE ACCIDENT ENGINE WAS NOT THE CORRECT SYSTEM. THE AIRPLANE'S LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ON JULY 30, 1993, ABOUT 3 FLIGHT-HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE AND NON-COMPLIANCE WITH AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/10/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MARSHALL
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22115
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1598
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 10 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1635
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2207B
NTSB Number BFO93FA167
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32RT-300T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32RT-30
Aircraft Serial Number 32R7987038
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 30 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 2432
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS R. FRENZ
Aircraft Owner Street Address 300 BILTMORE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City FENTON
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63026
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KRIEVE AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 580 BEECHCRAFT RD
Operator City CHESTERFIELD
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63005
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IAD
Departure City DULLES AIRPORT
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1927
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CPS
Destination City CAHOKIA
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --