What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 17, 2019, at approximately 1237 local time N5909V, a 1977 Piper, PA-32 caught fire while taxing for departure. N5909V attempted a departure from runway 5 at Venice Municipal Airport (kvnc) Venice FL, for north eleuthera airport (myeh) north eleuthera, Bahamas. The pilot reported feeling what he believed was a brake malfunction while taxing to the runway for departure. The pilot decided to circle away from runway 5 to test the aircraft brakes before departure. After circling back to the hold short line, the pilot reported smelling smoke. The pilot and passenger exited the aircraft and shortly afterward, the aircraft became fully engulfed in flames.
Received a witness statement that observed the accident aircraft, N5909V, taxiing on taxiway c toward runway 5. The witness stated, that when N5909V taxied by him there was an unusual amount of power being used relative to the taxi speed of the aircraft and the tail low attitude of the fuselage. The witness further stated, he thought the pilot was performing run-up procedures on taxi and that the aircraft was heavy. The witness stated he observed N5909V moving from its stopped position and appeared to be approaching the runway but continued a left turn to what seemed to be heading back up taxiway e. several feet later, the aircraft made another left turn during this maneuvering; the witness said he saw what he thought was sand blowing around because of the high power being utilized to make the turn. As the aircraft was approaching what the witness believed was the runway holding position markings, he observed more white color and immediately thought smoke. As the aircraft was still moving and continued making a left turn to runway heading. At that moment, the witness said he could see both the nose wheel and main gear and noticed an orange color on the right main gear. Witness stated once he realized the aircraft was on fire, he contacted Venice fire and rescue.
Once on scene, the FAA inspector found a large amount of flammable hazmat (cans of painting supplies) among the debris. PIC stated he was carrying paint and painting equipment onboard the aircraft, in order to paint his friends boat.
The NTSB classified the aircraft damage as destroyed.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 17, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 1237 LOCAL TIME N5909V, A 1977 PIPER, PA-32 CAUGHT FIRE WHILE TAXING FOR DEPARTURE. N5909V ATTEMPTED A DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY 5 AT VENICE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KVNC) VENICE FL, FOR NORTH ELEUTHERA AIRPORT (MYEH) NORTH ELEUTHERA, BAHAMAS. THE PILOT REPORTED FEELING WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS A BRAKE MALFUNCTION WHILE TAXING TO THE RUNWAY FOR DEPARTURE. THE PILOT DECIDED TO CIRCLE AWAY FROM RUNWAY 5 TO TEST THE AIRCRAFT BRAKES BEFORE DEPARTURE. AFTER CIRCLING BACK TO THE HOLD SHORT LINE, THE PILOT REPORTED SMELLING SMOKE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND SHORTLY AFTERWARD, THE AIRCRAFT BECAME FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
RECEIVED A WITNESS STATEMENT THAT OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, N5909V, TAXIING ON TAXIWAY C TOWARD RUNWAY 5. THE WITNESS STATED, THAT WHEN N5909V TAXIED BY HIM THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF POWER BEING USED RELATIVE TO THE TAXI SPEED OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE TAIL LOW ATTITUDE OF THE FUSELAGE. THE WITNESS FURTHER STATED, HE THOUGHT THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING RUN-UP PROCEDURES ON TAXI AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEAVY. THE WITNESS STATED HE OBSERVED N5909V MOVING FROM ITS STOPPED POSITION AND APPEARED TO BE APPROACHING THE RUNWAY BUT CONTINUED A LEFT TURN TO WHAT SEEMED TO BE HEADING BACK UP TAXIWAY E. SEVERAL FEET LATER, THE AIRCRAFT MADE ANOTHER LEFT TURN DURING THIS MANEUVERING; THE WITNESS SAID HE SAW WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS SAND BLOWING AROUND BECAUSE OF THE HIGH POWER BEING UTILIZED TO MAKE THE TURN. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING WHAT THE WITNESS BELIEVED WAS THE RUNWAY HOLDING POSITION MARKINGS, HE OBSERVED MORE WHITE COLOR AND IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT SMOKE. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL MOVING AND CONTINUED MAKING A LEFT TURN TO RUNWAY HEADING. AT THAT MOMENT, THE WITNESS SAID HE COULD SEE BOTH THE NOSE WHEEL AND MAIN GEAR AND NOTICED AN ORANGE COLOR ON THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. WITNESS STATED ONCE HE REALIZED THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FIRE, HE CONTACTED VENICE FIRE AND RESCUE.
ONCE ON SCENE, THE FAA INSPECTOR FOUND A LARGE AMOUNT OF FLAMMABLE HAZMAT (CANS OF PAINTING SUPPLIES) AMONG THE DEBRIS. PIC STATED HE WAS CARRYING PAINT AND PAINTING EQUIPMENT ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT, IN ORDER TO PAINT HIS FRIENDS BOAT.
THE NTSB CLASSIFIED THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AS DESTROYED.
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 N5909V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.