20120221002439A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Haycraft Oliver SPORT HORNET · Mariposa, CA · February 21, 2012

Date: February 21, 2012 · 14:30 local
Place: Mariposa, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N72PD
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12LA113
Reported as: Haycraft Oliver Sport Hornet
Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,425 total

N72PDRegistration cancelled Jul 16, 2013 · Haycraft Oliver SPORT HORNETS/N 055 · Built 2008 Airframe modelHaycraft Oliver SPORT HORNET Engine modelRotax 912ULS series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While on a part 91 flight, pilot reported that he smelled smoke in the cockpit and within 15 seconds, smoke had entered the cockpit. Pilot performed an off-field landing. Upon landing, pilot secured that engine and along with the passenger, exited the aircraft. Pilot noted the aircraft was being engulfed by fire that appear to originate from the engine area. The fire spread rapidly and destroyed the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE ON A PART 91 FLIGHT, PILOT REPORTED THAT HE SMELLED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND WITHIN 15 SECONDS, SMOKE HAD ENTERED THE COCKPIT. PILOT PERFORMED AN OFF-FIELD LANDING. UPON LANDING, PILOT SECURED THAT ENGINE AND ALONG WITH THE PASSENGER, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT NOTED THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING ENGULFED BY FIRE THAT APPEAR TO ORIGINATE FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY AND DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR12LA113Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMariposa, CAImproper clearance and inadequate heat shielding between engine components and the exhaust system, which resulted in an in-flight fire.Feb 21, 2012 · Substantial damage