The airplane was destroyed at about 1215 Eastern time during an on-ground fire following a forced landing. The Airline Transport pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the operator, the airplane had undergone routine maintenance and was being repositioned to pick up passengers. While in cruise flight at 4000 feet msl, the pilot heard a “loud bang,” and saw that the right forward windscreen and right side window had broken. He then saw that the right engines top cowling was missing and felt the aircraft “shudder” as it began to descend. Although full power was applied to the left engine, the airplane would not maintain altitude. The airplane came to rest in a field of scrub brush. Shortly afterward, grass under the left engine ignited. The subsequent brush fire consumed the airplane.
July 11, 2007, Orlando, Fla., Piper PA-31-350
The airplane was destroyed at about 1215 Eastern time during an on-ground fire following a forced landing. The Airline Transport pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the operator, the airplane had undergone routine maintenance and was being repositioned to pick up passengers. While in cruise flight at 4000 feet msl, the pilot heard a "loud bang," and saw that the right forward windscreen and right side window had broken. He then saw that the right engines top cowling was missing and felt the aircraft "shudder" as it began to descend.
Key Takeaways:
- During a routine repositioning flight, the aircraft experienced a mid-flight "loud bang" followed by the detachment of the right engine's top cowling and a loss of altitude.
- Despite applying full power to the left engine, the pilot could not maintain altitude, necessitating a forced landing in a field of scrub brush.
- The pilot was uninjured in the forced landing.
- A subsequent fire, originating under the left engine, consumed the airplane and surrounding brush on the ground.
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