NORFOLK, NE, USA
N62719
PIPER PA-23-250T
A FIRE STARTED INFLIGHT IN THE LEFT WHEEL WELL AND NACELLE AREA JUST AFTER THE PILOT TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS DURING THE TURN TO FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED AND THE PILOT EVACUATED SAFELY. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE ON A LEVEL PLANE WHEN THE PILOT EVACUATED THE AIRPLANE BUT LATER AFTER THE FIRE PROGRESSED, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE DROPPED WHEN THE FIRE BURNED THROUGH THE LEFT MAIN GEAR AREA AND THE LEFT MAIN SPAR. AFTERWARD, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR APPEARED TO BE COLLAPSED FROM THE FIRE. A FRACTURED FUEL LINE WAS FOUND NEAR THE LEFT ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP. A METALLURGIST STATED THE FRACTURE HAD NOT ORIGINATED DURING THE TIGHTENING PROCESS AND THE GEOMETRY OF THE SEPARATED SURFACES WAS TYPICAL OF BENDING LOADS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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