Piper PA-31-350 N105GC

Summary

On 11 July 2007 at about 16:15 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N105GC, operated by Baer Air, Inc., was involved in an incident near Orlando, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 2007 at 16:15

Classification

Incident

Location

Orlando, Florida, United States

Coordinates

28.3667, -81.0833

Aircraft

Piper PA-31-350

Registration

N105GC

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Baer Air, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Melbourne → Orlando

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC07IA164

Nobody was injured.

The mechanic's failure to secure the right engine cowling fasteners. Contributing to the incident was the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane had undergone routine maintenance, and was returned to service on the day prior to the incident flight. The mechanics who performed the maintenance did not secure the right engine cowling using the procedure outlined in the airplane's maintenance manual. The mechanic who had been working on the outboard side of the right engine could not remember if he had fastened the three primary outboard cowl fasteners before returning the airplane to service. During the first flight following the maintenance, the right engine's top cowling departed the airplane. The pilot secured the right engine, but the airplane was unable to maintain altitude, so he then identified a forced landing site. The airplane did not have a sufficient glidepath to clear a tree line and buildings, so he landed the airplane in a clear area about 1,500 yards short of the intended landing area. The airplane came to rest in a field of scrub brush, and about 5 minutes after the pilot deplaned, the grass under the left engine ignited. The subsequent brush fire consumed the airplane. Examination of the right engine cowling revealed that the outboard latching fasteners were set to the "open" position. When asked about the security of the cowling during the preflight inspection, the pilot stated that he "just missed it."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.