What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 18, 2009 this office received a call that a funk B85C, N81167, had caught fire and burned at Coffeyville, Kansas. The pilot, jon schroeder, stated he had the fuselage tank refueled and decided to fly a quick trip around the local area and give his passenger a ride. Shortly after takeoff he smelled smoke and observed fire under the instrument panel where the fuselage tank is located. He immediately accomplished a 180 degree turn in order to land on runway 17. After touch down he and his passenger immediately exited the aircraft as the flames enveloped the aircraft. The aircraft exploded and was totally destroyed. According to the owner during refueling, fuel may have been spilled onto the cowling and windshield, and some of it may have leaked into the cabin, and was subsequently ignited. Since the aircraft was completely destroyed, the cause of the ignition or source of fuel leakage in the cabin could not be determined.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2009 THIS OFFICE RECEIVED A CALL THAT A FUNK B85C, N81167, HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED AT COFFEYVILLE, KANSAS. THE PILOT, JON SCHROEDER, STATED HE HAD THE FUSELAGE TANK REFUELED AND DECIDED TO FLY A QUICK TRIP AROUND THE LOCAL AREA AND GIVE HIS PASSENGER A RIDE. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF HE SMELLED SMOKE AND OBSERVED FIRE UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHERE THE FUSELAGE TANK IS LOCATED. HE IMMEDIATELY ACCOMPLISHED A 180 DEGREE TURN IN ORDER TO LAND ON RUNWAY 17. AFTER TOUCH DOWN HE AND HIS PASSENGER IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AS THE FLAMES ENVELOPED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT EXPLODED AND WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER DURING REFUELING, FUEL MAY HAVE BEEN SPILLED ONTO THE COWLING AND WINDSHIELD, AND SOME OF IT MAY HAVE LEAKED INTO THE CABIN, AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY IGNITED. SINCE THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED, THE CAUSE OF THE IGNITION OR SOURCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE CABIN COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N81167 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.