On August 28, 1985, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 601P (registration N90342) was involved in an aviation accident near Wrightstown, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The tailpipe broke and rotated out of position, allowing hot exhaust gas to start a fire in the engine compartment. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During climb, pilot noted left engine manifold pressure loss and abnormal oil readings. After engine shutdown, passenger observed wing discoloration. Pilot performed rapid descent and landed at an air force base. Inspection revealed a broken and rotated tailpipe caused an engine fire.
Incident Description
During an enroute climb, the pilot observed a loss of manifold pressure on the left engine. Simultaneously, the oil pressure and temperature gauges indicated abnormal readings. The pilot secured the left engine by shutting it down. Immediately after the shutdown, a passenger informed the pilot that the left wing was turning brown. Recognizing a potential fire, the pilot executed a rapid descent and performed an emergency landing at an air force base.
Inspection Findings
Post-landing inspection revealed that the tailpipe on the left engine had broken and rotated out of its correct position. This misalignment allowed hot exhaust gases to escape and ignite a fire within the engine compartment. The fire was progressing aft toward the main wing spar. Notably, this tailpipe assembly has been associated with twelve similar occurrences reported to date.
Probable cause
The tailpipe broke and rotated out of position, allowing hot exhaust gas to start a fire in the engine compartment.