Piper PA-31-350 N4105Q
20 May 1997 · Sparta, Tennessee, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 20 May 1997 at about 19:15 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N4105Q, operated by Brad Mulzer, was involved in an accident near Sparta, Tennessee, United States. 6 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Sparta, Tennessee, United States
- Nearest airport
- Upper Cumberland Regional (SRB)
- Coordinates
- 35.9300, -85.4692
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350
- Registration
- N4105Q
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Brad Mulzer
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Sarasota → Huntingburg
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL97LA078
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Probable cause
A fire in the left engine started by a leak in the fuel pump.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The airplane experienced an in-flight fire in the left engine that was first noticed by the pilot upon touchdown in Sparta, Tennessee. The pilot and his five passengers safely evacuated the airplane, and then used a hand-held fire extinguisher to put out the fire. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the left engine, including a buckled firewall, melted fuel lines, and separated throttle and propeller cables. Further examination of the engine revealed that the fuel pump had a leak, possibly precipitated by faulty gasket material, which allowed the fuel to ignite when in contact with the heated engine. A Service Bulletin has been released by the pump manufacturer urging close inspection of the attaching screws.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Nov 1997 | Piper PA-31-T3 | Tyonek, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Dec 1997 | Piper PA-31-350 | Walker Cay, Bahamas | Amelia Airways, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Jul 1997 | Piper PA-31-350 | Denver, Colorado, United States | American Check Transport, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 1997 | Piper PA-31-350 | Hayden, Colorado, United States | Flight Line, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 15 Mar 1997 | Piper PA-31-350 | Kotzebue, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Apr 1997 | Piper PA-31-350 | Pacific Ocean | Pilot Services Intl | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jul 1997 | Cessna 177RG | Knoxville, Tennessee, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jul 1997 | Cessna 172M | Athens, Tennessee, United States | Michael B. Guest | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 1997 | Cessna 150L | Portland, Tennessee, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 1997 | Avid IV | Memphis, Tennessee, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Aug 1997 | Hughes 269A | Dandridge, Tennessee, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Aug 1997 | Piper PA-28-140 | Milan, Tennessee, United States | Stephen Aldred | Minor injuries | - |