What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On November 24, 1998, at 1555 central standard time, an experimental amateur-built stanton staros sa 260, aerobatic airplane, N540HC, was destroyed when an in-flight fire erupted while maneuvering and it impacted terrain near Marion, Texas. The airplane was registered to hc & nr, inc., and operated by the commercial pilot who sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from the zuehl airport, Marion, Texas. The pilot reported to witnesses that he was at the "top of an aerobatic maneuver, heard a loud bang" and the airplane entered a slip. The pilot stated that fuel began to "spray onto him" and he bailed out of the airplane. Witnesses reported that the pilot bailed out of the single engine airplane at approximately 400 feet AGL and the parachute "opened at tree-top level." The pilot was transported by EMS to the brooks army medical center, san antonio, Texas, for treatment, the airplane impacted terrain 1 mile from the zuehl airport. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and reported that a fire consumed the entire fabric covered airplane. He added that the parachute and pilot's apparel, including his sunglasses and gloves, were charred and melted. (-23) on November 24, 1998, at approximately 1600 hours, a staros 260 owned by hc & nr inc. and operated by henry f. coffeen crashed while performing maneuvers in the zuehl aerobatic practice box. The aircraft exploded into flames and the pilot exited the aircraft by parachute. VFR conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilt sustained serious injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON NOVEMBER 24, 1998, AT 1555 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT STANTON STAROS SA 260, AEROBATIC AIRPLANE, N540HC, WAS DESTROYED WHEN AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE ERUPTED WHILE MANEUVERING AND IT IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR MARION, TEXAS. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO HC & NR, INC., AND OPERATED BY THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WHO SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE ZUEHL AIRPORT, MARION, TEXAS. THE PILOT REPORTED TO WITNESSES THAT HE WAS AT THE "TOP OF AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER, HEARD A LOUD BANG" AND THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A SLIP. THE PILOT STATED THAT FUEL BEGAN TO "SPRAY ONTO HIM" AND HE BAILED OUT OF THE AIRPLANE. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT BAILED OUT OF THE SINGLE ENGINE AIRPLANE AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET AGL AND THE PARACHUTE "OPENED AT TREE-TOP LEVEL." THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED BY EMS TO THE BROOKS ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, FOR TREATMENT, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN 1 MILE FROM THE ZUEHL AIRPORT. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND REPORTED THAT A FIRE CONSUMED THE ENTIRE FABRIC COVERED AIRPLANE. HE ADDED THAT THE PARACHUTE AND PILOT'S APPAREL, INCLUDING HIS SUNGLASSES AND GLOVES, WERE CHARRED AND MELTED. (-23) ON NOVEMBER 24, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 HOURS, A STAROS 260 OWNED BY HC & NR INC. AND OPERATED BY HENRY F. COFFEEN CRASHED WHILE PERFORMING MANEUVERS IN THE ZUEHL AEROBATIC PRACTICE BOX. THE AIRCRAFT EXPLODED INTO FLAMES AND THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT BY PARACHUTE. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.