Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Elim Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Elim, Alaska 99739
Monday, May 9, 2005 16:45 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the landing roll of the 14 CFR Part 135 scheduled commuter flight, the airline transport certificated pilot noticed a fire in the right engine compartment. He pulled the firewall fuel shutoff for the right engine and stopped the airplane. The passengers were evacuated and the pilot discharged the airplane's fire extinguisher inside the right engine compartment. Additional dry chemical fire extinguishers were supplied by personnel at the airport, and the fire was extinguished. A passenger on the airplane reported that she smelled gasoline and smoke as the airplane was turning onto final, and saw flames as the plane landed. The airplane received structural damage to the right wing. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and reported that the fire pattern was consistent with an in-flight fire on the inboard side of the right engine, that appeared to be concentrated around the hydraulic pump, fuel pump, and the turbocharger. The inspector examined the fuel lines and hydraulic lines to the respective pumps. His examination revealed loose "B" nuts that had no heat discoloration. The airplane's hydraulic fluid reservoir contained fluid. The airplane's right engine hydraulic pump was replaced about 31 hours before the fire. The inspector interviewed the operator's maintenance personnel, and learned that during the hydraulic pump replacement, mechanics removed the right engine's fuel pump to access to the hydraulic pump. Due to the confined area during the reinstallation of the feeder line to the fuel pump, one mechanic held the line in-place, and another turned the fitting with a wrench. A leak check revealed that the fitting was cross-threaded and leaked. The fitting was re-tightened and signed off. The inspector sent the fuel lines and hydraulic lines to the NTSB IIC for examination. Each line was subjected to an air pressure leak test, and no leaks were discovered.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
An improper installation of a fuel line fitting by company maintenance personnel, which resulted in a fuel leak and subsequent in-flight engine compartment fire during cruise flight that was discovered during the landing roll.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/9/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1645 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Elim |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99739 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 643653N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1621618W |
| Event Location Airport | Elim |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ELI |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 200 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 7 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18725 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Operator |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 10 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2005 6:27AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-AL FAI FSDO 01 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3535F |
| NTSB Number | ANC05LA075 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-31-350 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 31-7952200 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 7000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 10 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 84 |
| Airframe Hours | 23590 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Cape Smythe Air Service Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 549 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Barrow |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99723 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | CSAA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PAOM |
| Departure City | Nome |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1605 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ELI |
| Destination City | Elim |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 27 2005 1:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 01 |
| Runway Length | 3000 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |