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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

May 5, 1991 · Cessna U206 · N2160F

Tulare, CA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 5, 1991
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 serious injuries)
Location
Tulare, CA
Aircraft
Cessna U206
Tail Number
N2160F
Operator
Joyce J Brunson
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX91LA195

The certificated commercial pilot and a passenger were returning from a short cross country flight and the pilot decided to do a touch and go landing. As the airplane was climbing out, the passenger noticed a small flame on the side panel, about 6 inches forward of the left door post. The pilot executed a 180 degree turn back to the runway. The flames in the cockpit rapidly spread around the base of the windshield and up into the overhead ceiling. Due to the heat and smoke, the passenger and pilot jumped from the airplane as it was still moving down the runway at about 30 mph. The unoccupied airplane exited the runway and rolled to a stop between the runway and taxiway. The airplane was consumed by fire. The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The origin of the fire appeared to be from a fuel line located in the left front doorpost area. Electrical wiring to the landing and position lights was also routed through the door post.

NTSB Probable Cause

AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE IN THE CABIN/CREW COMPARTMENT AREA OF THE AIRCRAFT, DUE TO FAILURE OF A FUEL LINE LOCATED IN THE LEFT DOORPOST AREA.

Full Narrative

THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE RETURNING FROM A SHORT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND THE PILOT DECIDED TO DO A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS CLIMBING OUT, THE PASSENGER NOTICED A SMALL FLAME ON THE SIDE PANEL, ABOUT 6 INCHES FORWARD OF THE LEFT DOOR POST. THE PILOT EXECUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY. THE FLAMES IN THE COCKPIT RAPIDLY SPREAD AROUND THE BASE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND UP INTO THE OVERHEAD CEILING. DUE TO THE HEAT AND SMOKE, THE PASSENGER AND PILOT JUMPED FROM THE AIRPLANE AS IT WAS STILL MOVING DOWN THE RUNWAY AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE UNOCCUPIED AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY AND ROLLED TO A STOP BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE FROM A FUEL LINE LOCATED IN THE LEFT FRONT DOORPOST AREA. ELECTRICAL WIRING TO THE LANDING AND POSITION LIGHTS WAS ALSO ROUTED THROUGH THE DOOR POST.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time13:35 PDT
Nearest AirportMefford Field (0nm)
Runway13
Runway Length3914 ft
Runway Width75 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireIflt
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna U206
Tail NumberN2160F
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorJoyce J Brunson
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · IO-520-A · Reciprocating · 285
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 serious injuries)
Fatal0
Serious2
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 22 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data