Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Nashville International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Nashville, Tennessee 37217
Saturday, February 20, 2010 18:50 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that while in cruise flight the alternator light illuminated and he smelled smoke. He declared an emergency, diverted to the nearest airport, and noted a complete loss of engine power during the descent. The pilot and passengers evacuated the airplane, and noted that light smoke emanated from the cowling for several minutes after landing. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed fire damage in the engine compartment between the firewall and rear engine baffle. The fuel control unit feed and return lines were found loose at the rear engine baffle fittings immediately above the starter and starter adapter. Inspection of maintenance invoices revealed that the starter adapter was replaced approximately 9 hours before the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to the mechanic’s failure to properly secure the fuel control unit fuel lines after replacement of the starter adapter.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 2/20/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1850 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Nashville |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 37217 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 360717N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0864025W |
| Event Location Airport | Nashville International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BNA |
| 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 | 599 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1853 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BNA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 599 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 20000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 20000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26753 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 15 2010 2:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N43368 |
| NTSB Number | ERA10IA147 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-46-310P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 46-8408028 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4118 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 1 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 25 |
| Airframe Hours | 4529 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BIG SKY INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | IOWA CITY |
| Aircraft Owner State | IA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 52240-9151 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | BIG SKY INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | IOWA CITY |
| Operator State | IA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 52240-9151 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | BGF |
| Departure City | Winchester |
| Departure State | TN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1800 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | IOW |
| Destination City | Iowa City |
| Destination State | IA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 6 2010 11:03AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 13 |
| Runway Length | 11030 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |