Piper PA-32RT-300T N31912
23 June 1982 · Durango, Colorado, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 23 June 1982 at about 00:00 local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T registered N31912, operated by Durango Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Durango, Colorado, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 00:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Durango, Colorado, United States
- Nearest airport
- Durango Laplata Co. (DRO)
- Coordinates
- 37.2705, -107.8791
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300T
- Registration
- N31912
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Durango Flying Service
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Durango → Colorado Spring
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DEN82DA110
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Probable cause
The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.
Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKING OFF, DENSE WHITE SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE COCKPIT AND SEEMED TO COME FROM UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENTS WERE IN THE NORMAL OPERATING RANGE, BUT THE SMOKE BECAME SO DENSE THAT THE VISIBILITY IN THE COCKPIT WAS REDUCED TO A FEW INCHES. THE PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT WAS ALSO A PILOT AND ASSISTED IN NAVIGATING BACK TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED DOWNWIND ON RUNWAY 20, AND AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST COUPLING HAD FAILED AND ALLOWED HOT EXHAUST GASES TO EXPEL INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE OIL PRESSURE HOSE LINE MELTED AND OIL WAS SPRAYED ONTO THE TURBOCHARGER AND MIXED WITH THE HOT GASES AND BURNED. THE SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT THROUGH THE VENT BENEATH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AN EXAMINATION OF THE NOSE GEAR REVEALED THAT THE GEAR DOWN LOCK SPRINGS WERE DAMAGED BY FIRE, THUS ALLOWING THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-32RT accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 1982 | Piper PA-32RT-300 | Houston, Texas, United States | Fred Goeke | No injuries | - |
| 27 Sep 1982 | Piper PA-32RT-300T | Athens, Georgia, United States | A.w. Whaley | No injuries | - |
| 13 May 1982 | Piper PA-32RT-300 | Pineville, Louisiana, United States | Modern Flying Serv. Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Dec 1982 | Piper PA-32RT | Sullivan, Missouri, United States | Charles L. Labarge | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jul 1982 | Piper PA-32RT | MacKinac, Michigan, United States | JIM Mallin | No injuries | - |
| 16 Nov 1983 | Piper PA-32RT-3 | Millard, Nebraska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Mar 1982 | Cessna 172 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | John A. Meyer | No injuries | - |
| 22 May 1982 | Beechcraft V35A | Colorado Spring, Colorado, United States | Edward L. Walsh | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 1982 | American AA5B | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Rainbow Aviation Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 1982 | Cessna 172 | Colorado Spring, Colorado, United States | Chesley M. Louitt | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 1982 | Quicksilver MXII | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Jamee J. Andersen | Serious injuries | - |
| 24 Jun 1982 | Schweizer SGS 1-34 | Colorado Spring, Colorado, United States | Dennis Pollard | No injuries | - |