Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Millville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Millville, New Jersey 08332
Saturday, March 7, 2009 16:45 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The owner of the airplane explained that the pilot/mechanic had just completed the installation of an overhauled carburetor, and that he and the pilot/mechanic had performed test runs of the engine and completed carburetor adjustments with no problems noted. The owner described multiple engine starts with and without auxiliary fuel pressure applied and during one engine run the hydraulic components of the airplane were "cycled" with no problems noted. After completion of the ground tests, the airplane appeared to develop full power during takeoff and climbout when "heavy smoke appeared all at once." The airplane landed and was completely engulfed in flames during rollout. Seconds after the airplane stopped, the engine fell from the burning airframe. Examination of the engine revealed that the fuel line associated with the fuel pressure transmitter was found disconnected from its mating fitting on the carburetor. The fitting on the carburetor and the mating nut on the end of the fuel line showed evidence of exposure to a fire environment on the surfaces, which would normally be protected if the two components were assembled. The fitting on the carburetor and the mating nut on the fuel line did not have damaged threads, which would be expected if the components were separated by force.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot/mechanic’s failure to properly torque the fuel pressure line B-nut to the carburetor fitting.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/7/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1645 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Millville |
| Event State | NEW JERSEY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 08332 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 392202N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0750412W |
| Event Location Airport | Millville Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MIV |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 85 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1654 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MIV |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 85 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26640 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 19 2010 8:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N188TD |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA191 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | GRUMMAN |
| Aircraft Model | TBM-3 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 53522 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 17895 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 19 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3012 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CLAIRE AVIATION |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 635 WALNUT ST STE 1150 |
| Aircraft Owner City | PHILADELPHIA |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19106 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | CLAIRE AVIATION |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 635 WALNUT ST STE 1150 |
| Operator City | PHILADELPHIA |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 19106 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MIV |
| Departure City | Millville |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1643 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | MIV |
| Destination City | Millville |
| Destination State | NJ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 19 2010 8:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 28 |
| Runway Length | 6002 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |