On March 18, 1986, a Piper PA-46-310P (registration N4360V) operated by Mike Monet was involved in an aviation accident near Reno, NV. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The engine ceased operating due to a failed fuel pump caused by tolerances being too close. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft engine ceased operation at FL250 due to a failed fuel pump. The crew successfully restarted the engine at 10,000 feet and landed without incident.
What happened
While cruising at flight level 250, the aircraft's engine stopped operating. The failure was attributed to a malfunctioning fuel pump. Despite the loss of power, the crew managed to restart the engine successfully when the aircraft had descended to 10,000 feet mean sea level. Following the restart, the flight continued with no further issues and concluded with an uneventful landing.
The investigation
Examination of the failed component revealed that the fuel pump was a Model G unit with only three hours of total time in service. This specific pump had been installed as a replacement for a previous Model C fuel pump, which had failed earlier due to a crack in its aneroid bellows.
Findings
The investigation determined that the Model G fuel pump failed because manufacturing tolerances were too close. This tight tolerance likely contributed to the premature failure of the component during operation.
Probable cause
The engine ceased operating due to a failed fuel pump caused by tolerances being too close.