What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot statement: this was a Diamond transition flight for the instrument rated private pilot. He has
Just transferred to our school and currently rents with us. This flight was in lieu of his desire to execute
An instrument flight in one of our archers due to icing in clouds above 2K feet that day. We decided to
Execute a dual flight for Diamond transition instead. The student was able to taxi, take off, cruise,
Navigate, communicate, and land under supervision. After landing I transferred control to myself and I
Executed the rollout, exit, contact, and taxi-back to 34 via b-a. I transferred control back to the student
At the hold short line 34. At about 11:15AM, holding short, I noticed smoke coming from under the right
Wing. Also rv N311VA reported a fire on my wheel. He was landing 34. I radioed to ATC that I was
Shutting down. They asked if I needed assistance. I asked them to send someone. Upon evacuation
We saw the fire in the right wheel-pant and moved away. I did call 911 once I observed the fire as I was
Not in contact with ATC anymore and I did not recall at that moment if I had been clear that there was
An urgent need for assistance. The flames moved up into the wing within about 3 minutes, then the
Trucks arrived. We were transported to the FBO and evaluated by emt's.
As I was on the controls I can attest that there was no excessive braking during the taxi, only normal taps to right and left to maintain directional control, and there was normal braking power available right up to stop at hold short line, even as the right wheel was on fire. This was the second flight immediately after delivery from its wing spar AD compliance in north carolina. I am not familiar with the procedures of dis- and re- assembly in the AD.
The cause of the fire is still undetermined. The manufacturer in cooperation with the NTSB will be disassembling the aircraft for return via truck and will perform an inspection at that time. Video indicates that the fire started on the right MLG and traveled upward to the lower side of the right wing.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATEMENT: THIS WAS A DIAMOND TRANSITION FLIGHT FOR THE INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT. HE HAS
JUST TRANSFERRED TO OUR SCHOOL AND CURRENTLY RENTS WITH US. THIS FLIGHT WAS IN LIEU OF HIS DESIRE TO EXECUTE
AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT IN ONE OF OUR ARCHERS DUE TO ICING IN CLOUDS ABOVE 2K FEET THAT DAY. WE DECIDED TO
EXECUTE A DUAL FLIGHT FOR DIAMOND TRANSITION INSTEAD. THE STUDENT WAS ABLE TO TAXI, TAKE OFF, CRUISE,
NAVIGATE, COMMUNICATE, AND LAND UNDER SUPERVISION. AFTER LANDING I TRANSFERRED CONTROL TO MYSELF AND I
EXECUTED THE ROLLOUT, EXIT, CONTACT, AND TAXI-BACK TO 34 VIA B-A. I TRANSFERRED CONTROL BACK TO THE STUDENT
AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE 34. AT ABOUT 11:15AM, HOLDING SHORT, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE RIGHT
WING. ALSO RV N311VA REPORTED A FIRE ON MY WHEEL. HE WAS LANDING 34. I RADIOED TO ATC THAT I WAS
SHUTTING DOWN. THEY ASKED IF I NEEDED ASSISTANCE. I ASKED THEM TO SEND SOMEONE. UPON EVACUATION
WE SAW THE FIRE IN THE RIGHT WHEEL-PANT AND MOVED AWAY. I DID CALL 911 ONCE I OBSERVED THE FIRE AS I WAS
NOT IN CONTACT WITH ATC ANYMORE AND I DID NOT RECALL AT THAT MOMENT IF I HAD BEEN CLEAR THAT THERE WAS
AN URGENT NEED FOR ASSISTANCE. THE FLAMES MOVED UP INTO THE WING WITHIN ABOUT 3 MINUTES, THEN THE
TRUCKS ARRIVED. WE WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE FBO AND EVALUATED BY EMT'S.
AS I WAS ON THE CONTROLS I CAN ATTEST THAT THERE WAS NO EXCESSIVE BRAKING DURING THE TAXI, ONLY NORMAL TAPS TO RIGHT AND LEFT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THERE WAS NORMAL BRAKING POWER AVAILABLE RIGHT UP TO STOP AT HOLD SHORT LINE, EVEN AS THE RIGHT WHEEL WAS ON FIRE. THIS WAS THE SECOND FLIGHT IMMEDIATELY AFTER DELIVERY FROM ITS WING SPAR AD COMPLIANCE IN NORTH CAROLINA. I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCEDURES OF DIS- AND RE- ASSEMBLY IN THE AD.
THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS STILL UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER IN COOPERATION WITH THE NTSB WILL BE DISASSEMBLING THE AIRCRAFT FOR RETURN VIA TRUCK AND WILL PERFORM AN INSPECTION AT THAT TIME. VIDEO INDICATES THAT THE FIRE STARTED ON THE RIGHT MLG AND TRAVELED UPWARD TO THE LOWER SIDE OF THE RIGHT WING.
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 N489RS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.