Gunnison County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gunnison, Colorado 81230
Monday, March 15, 1982 15:55 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ENROUTE TO ADDISON, TX, THE PILOT NOTICED A FLUCTUATION IN THE ENGINE EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURE GAUGE, FOLLOWED BY THE TACHOMETER DROPPING TO ZERO. THE PILOT ALSO OBSERVED SMOKE EMANATING FROM THE ENGINE NACELLE AND PROCEEDED TO SECURE THE ENGINE AND FEATHER THE PROPELLER AND ACCOMPLISH A SUCCESSFULL EMERGENCY LANDING. FURTHER EXAMINATION DISCLOSED TWO BLOW-OUT HOLES IN THE LOWER AREA OF THE TRANSITION TUBE ASSEMBLY THAT ALLOWED HOT ENGINE EXHAUST TO ESCAPE INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE OVERBOARD EXHAUST PIPE CLAMPS, COWL FLAP MOTOR AND ACTUATING ROD WERE DAMAGED BY FIRE AND FELL FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHILE IN FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1982
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1555
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City GUNNISON
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81230
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport GUNNISON COUNTY
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2586
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12JP
NTSB Number DEN82DA044
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31P
Aircraft Serial Number 31P68
Certified Max Gross Weight 7800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 2154
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GERALD LANGFORD/CINDELL NOEL R
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4591 RHEIMS PL.
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75205
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GERALD LANGFORD/CINDELL NOEL R
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4591 RHEIMS PL.
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75205
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code C
Departure City GUNNISON
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code C
Destination City ADDISON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 7198
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --