# NTSB ANC93IA183: Cessna 180C, N9211T, Anchorage, AK, September 22, 1993 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: September 22, 1993, 11:20 local (19:20 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.109291, -149.899322 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1093&lon=-149.8993&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 2, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 2325 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC93IA183 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/2325/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93IA183 ## Probable cause A FRAYED FUEL HOSE. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, standing - starting engine(s) - fuel system,line - frayed (cause) - wing - improper - landing gear,float assembly - unapproved part ## Analysis THE FUEL HOSE BETWEEN THE FUEL FILTER AND THE CARBURETOR WAS FRAYED AND LEAKED FUEL ONTO THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COWL ADJACENT TO THE CARBURETOR INDUCTION BOX. ADDITIONALLY, INVESTIGATORS FOUND THE AIRPLANE WING AND FLOAT STRUCTURE COMPONENTS TO BE IRREGULAR AND BOGUS FROM RECENT REBUILD PROCESS. ## Factual narrative On September 22, 1993, at 1120 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 180C airplane, N9211T, caught fire while taxiing for takeoff at Finger 3 of the Lake Hood Seaplane operating area, at Anchorage International Airport. The flight was departing for Kodiak, Alaska, on a VFR flight plan in visual meteorological conditions under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal reasons. The private pilot and a passenger escaped without injury and the airplane sustained minor damage. The pilot told NTSB and FAA investigators that he "was taxiing out to go to Kodiak." He said that he remembered "pumping the throttle, and after I got it going again (restarting the engine), I saw smoke and shut it down." The pilot said that he and the passenger extinguished the fire by pouring boots full of water on the cowl. The aircraft was secured at its moorings when NTSB and FAA investigators arrived. During the examination of the scorched aircraft, investigators found the right wing and the left wing to be mismatched, in that the fuel tank installations may indicate replacements of parts from different aircraft. Additionally the float plane installation examined by the FAA, was found to have homemade (bogus parts) and non-standard application. An examination of the engine compartment revealed that a shielded fuel hose between the fuel filter and the carburetor showed abraded fraying of the metal outer cover. When the fuel selector was returned to "on," aviation fuel leaked from the line onto the inner bottom of the engine cowl adjacent to the carburetor induction box. Fire scorching was visible in the area of that line and the firewall behind that point. No scorching was found inside the induction box, however a film of soot was seen in the induction throat. The pilot said that he had purchased the airplane "as a wreck" and "George Grant of Merrill Field had completely rebuilt it, just 3 months ago." The pilot said that the airplane's log books were in the possession of Mr. Grant. The airplane had mismatched wings and other components installed by this FAA A&P mechanic that did not conform to the certificate specifications of the Cessna 180 aircraft. Following this investigation, the FAA issued a request for an Emergency Airworthiness Directive to request a "Conformity Inspection" on all future aircraft modified by this mechanic. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9211T](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9211T), registered now, S/N 50711, built 1960 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180C - Registry model: [Cessna 180C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180c) (registry code 2072608) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 180-50711 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-470 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Streb, Norbert - Registered owner: Norbert Streb - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 21, 1993, 50 hours before - Departed: LHK - Destination: ADQ, KODIAK, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: LHD, Lake Hood Seaplane Base ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 1,000 total, 500 in this make and model, 1,000 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 10 knots - Visibility: 100 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 19930922035959I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930922035959I), Sep 22, 1993: Cessna 180C, Anchorage, AK, Minor damage. Engine compartment fire on second attempt to start engine. Found hole in fuel hose from gascolator to carburetor. ## Other investigations on N9211T (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CEN22LA373](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA373), Aug 4, 2022: Cessna 180C (N9211T), Cantwell, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's excessive brake application during the landing roll that resulted in a nose over. - [NTSB ANC96LA032](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC96LA032), Mar 7, 1996: Cessna 185 (N9211T), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.