- Date
- April 27, 2011, 09:44 local (13:44 UTC)
- Place
- Minford, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N718PFChang RV-10
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Fire/smoke (non-impact)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Cincinnati Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20110427010349A
- Case key
- 79045
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A loose fuel line fitting, which caused a fuel leak and subsequent in-flight fire.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The experimental, amateur-built airplane was in the Phase 1 flight test phase and had accumulated about 4 hours flight time when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that he had noticed low fuel pressure during the accident flight. He activated the fuel boost pump, which returned the fuel pressure to within normal limits. As the airplane approached the intended destination airport, the pilot smelled smoke and observed a fire in front of his right foot. He discharged a fire extinguisher, which put out the fire; however, the cabin filled with smoke. He closed the fuel valve and opened the pilot's side door. The door separated and some of the smoke dissipated. The pilot observed a pasture off to the left through the open door. He subsequently landed on an uphill slope, causing substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed a loose fuel line fitting at the mechanical fuel pump. The fire occurred along the lower fuselage skin in the center console area, which ran forward to aft between the pilot and copilot seats. The lower fuselage skin was burned through as a result of the in-flight fire.
Factual narrative
The experimental, amateur-built airplane was in the Phase 1 flight test phase and had accumulated about 4 hours flight time when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that he had noticed low fuel pressure during the accident flight. He activated the fuel boost pump, which returned the fuel pressure to within normal limits. As the airplane approached the intended destination airport, the pilot smelled smoke and observed a fire in front of his right foot. He discharged a fire extinguisher, which put out the fire; however, the cabin filled with smoke. He closed the fuel valve and opened the pilot's side door. The door separated and some of the smoke dissipated. The pilot observed a pasture off to the left through the open door. He subsequently landed on an uphill slope, causing substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed a loose fuel line fitting at the mechanical fuel pump. The fire occurred along the lower fuselage skin in the center console area, which ran forward to aft between the pilot and copilot seats. The lower fuselage skin was burned through as a result of the in-flight fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N718PF
- Reported as
- Chang RV-10
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 40948
- Airframe hours
- 4
- Engine
- Lycoming YIO-540-D4A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 20, 2011
- Departed
- EOP · Waverly, OH
- Destination
- PMH · Minford, OH
- Airport
- PMH · Greater Portsmouth Regional
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 9, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,335 total · 4 in this make and model · 1,269 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Observed at
- PMH, 2 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 7, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.