Reportedly, the nose gear assembly failed when the pilot made a hard landing, then the ultralight vehicle went over on its nose and came to rest in a vertical position. Flames engulfed the center portion of the vehicle. The pilot rolled free from the vehicle, but his parka and helmet were on fire. His father arrived at the scene and assisted in the rescue effort, but had difficulty in removing the helmet since the nylon strap had melted together. The pilot received burns over 44% of his body. The vehicle was equipped with two plastic fuel tanks which were portable and were secured to the frame with a bungee cord. The pilot's father owned this and one other Vector 610. An exam of the other vehicle revealed the fuel tanks were mounted with the fuel caps facing forward, next to the back of the pilot's seat. There was no seal where the plastic fuel lines passed through the fuel tank caps. With approximately one gallon of fuel in a tank, fuel would leak out at a rate of about one pint per minute. Manufacturer's brochures show that the fuel tank caps should face to the rear.