Piper PA-34-200 accident near Chandler, Arizona, July 18, 2001
On July 18, 2001 at about 3:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N15120, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona (Chandler Municipal airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of maintenance personnel to properly tighten a fuel line fitting during an engine installation resulting in a fuel leak and fire during the maintenance checkflight. A factor in the accident was inadequate inspection of the installation prior to return to service.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2001 · about 3:43 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Chandler Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N15120 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7350022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A fire erupted in the right engine nacelle during a maintenance check flight following replacement of the engine. The pilot shutoff the engine and feathered the propeller; however, before he could complete the emergency checklist, black smoke began entering the cockpit via a fresh air vent in the leading edge of the wing near the nacelle. The visibility in the cockpit dropped to about 1 foot and the pilot couldn't see outside, or the instrument panel, or any controls. He declared an emergency and opened the pilot's window. He instructed his passenger to crack open the main door; however, his passenger couldn't find the door handles in the dense smoke. After a period of time he got the door cracked open and the smoke cleared. At that point they were down to 300 or 400 feet agl, and he identified an open field in which an emergency landing was made. Examination of the right-hand engine revealed it was mechanically intact; however, a hose-end "B-nut" at the inlet to the engine driven fuel pump exhibited an unusual number of exposed threads. The B-nut was loose and required 1 1/8 turns to finger-tighten and 1 1/4 turns to snug tighten with a wrench. When the B-nut was unscrewed from the fitting, the threads of the fitting and the B-nut itself did not exhibit any cracks or stripped threads. No other mechanical anomalies were found.
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: 492 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 173 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 441 as pilot in command; 204 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,832 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 27, 2000; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO/LIO-360-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ at 2:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4L, 4,395 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:43 pm from CHD, 2 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.
Other NTSB records under N15120 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.