Tallahassee Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tallahassee, Florida 32301
Friday, April 2, 1982 19:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CRUISING AT 8000 FEET, THE RIGHT ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND THE PILOT ACCOMPLISHED THE REQUIRED PROCEDURES FOR AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HE NOTICED AN AREA OF DISCOLORATION ON THE INBOARD NACELLE OF THE RIGHT ENGINE AND SAW FLAMES INSIDE THE NACELLE. THE PILOT SECURED THE ENGINE, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND MADE A SINGLE ENGINE LANDING AT TALLAHASSEE, FL. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BROKEN TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST CLAMP WHICH ALLOWED THE EXHAUST TUBE TO SEPARATE FROM THE TURBO. HIGH TEMPERATURE EXHAUST GASES THEN STARTED THE FIRE WHICH DISABLED THE ALTERNATOR WIRING. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THIS CLAMP AND SEVERAL OTHERS THAT HAD FAILED INDICATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE DUE TO HIGH TEMPERATURE EMBRITTLEMENT. THE LACK OF HIGH TEMPERATURE DUCTILITY WAS ATTRIBUTED TO IMPROPER HEAT TREATMENT WHEN THE CLAMPS WERE MANUFACTURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/2/1982
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1915
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City TALLAHASSEE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32301
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport TALLAHASSEE MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TLH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5031
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 Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N41045
NTSB Number MIA82IA110
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31-350
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31-350
Aircraft Serial Number 31-8252020
Certified Max Gross Weight 7000
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 8
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 63
Airframe Hours 63
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MOORE DATA SYSTEMS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6965 VAN GOGH
Aircraft Owner City BATON ROUGE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70806
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MOORE DATA SYSTEMS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 6965 VAN GOGH
Operator City BATON ROUGE
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70806
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SRQ
Departure City SARASOTA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BTR
Destination City BATON ROUGE
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --