Summary
On May 24, 2007, a Piper PA-44-180 (N255ER) was involved in an incident near Lubbock, TX. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The failure of the engine fuel supply line and the separation of the number one cylinder exhaust pipe resulting in an engine fire.
The 1,730-hour flight instructor and a student pilot performed a normal engine run-up in a twin-engine airplane prior to a local training flight. The run-up did not reveal any anomalies and the airplane was clear to taxi to runway 35L. The right engine lost power while the airplane was holding short to take the active runway. The student pilot attempted to restart the right engine when he noticed "flames coming from the bottom of the engine cowling." The flight instructor and the student pilot exited the airplane through the cabin door without injuries. Airport rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) personnel responded to the aircraft fire and extinguished the fire.
This incident is documented in NTSB report DFW07CA121. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N255ER.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The failure of the engine fuel supply line and the separation of the number one cylinder exhaust pipe resulting in an engine fire.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The 1,730-hour flight instructor and a student pilot performed a normal engine run-up in a twin-engine airplane prior to a local training flight. The run-up did not reveal any anomalies and the airplane was clear to taxi to runway 35L. The right engine lost power while the airplane was holding short to take the active runway. The student pilot attempted to restart the right engine when he noticed "flames coming from the bottom of the engine cowling." The flight instructor and the student pilot exited the airplane through the cabin door without injuries. Airport rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) personnel responded to the aircraft fire and extinguished the fire. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the scene, reported that the right engine nacelle sustained structural damage as result of the engine fire. Additionally, the inspector found the exhaust stack for the number one cylinder had separated. The inspector also reported that the braided fuel line leaked when the line was pressure tested.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DFW07CA121