Piper PA-46-310P accident near Cartersville, Georgia, August 7, 1991
On August 7, 1991 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-310P, registered N9094Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cartersville, Georgia. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE MECHANIC'S IMPROPER REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL LINE B-NUT, AND THE INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE REPAIR WORK BY THE QUALITY ASSURANCE INSPECTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1991 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cartersville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310P · all PA-46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9094Z · no longer on the register · serial 4608022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE CLIMB TO CRUISE FLIGHT THE FUEL FLOW DECREASED, CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE & OIL TEMPERATURE INCREASED, & AN ODOR OF OVERHEATING WAS DETECTED. WHEN THE ENGINE SPUTTERED, THE FUEL PUMP WAS ENGAGED & THE ENGINE QUIT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A PASTURE, WHERE THE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. EVIDENCE OF A FIRE WAS FOUND WHICH RESULTED FROM A LEAK AT THE MAIN FUEL LINE B-NUT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE B-NUT HAD BEEN LOOSENED, & NOT REPLACED TIGHTLY, DURING REPLACEMENT OF THE STANDBY VACUUM PUMP. THE QC INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE REPAIR DID NOT EXAMINE THE AREA SURROUNDING THE REPLACED STANDBY VACUUM PUMP.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,100 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,633 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 1990; 379 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-52O-BE1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Chamblee GA at 7:55 pm
- Destination: CHA Chatanooga TN
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from MGE, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.