- Date
- July 29, 2012, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Los Lunas, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N904DBBlack Donald Cozy III
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Fire/smoke (non-impact)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120729015659A
- Case key
- 84519
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 oil line, which allowed oil to leak onto the hot engine turbocharger and resulted in a 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
While taxiing after landing, the engine lost power, and the pilot turned the airplane off the runway. The pilot exited the airplane and noticed smoke at the rear of the airplane near the engine. The pilot attempted to extinguish the fire; however, his efforts were unsuccessful, and the airplane was consumed by the fire. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 4.9 flight hours. Postaccident examination of the airplane found loose B-nuts on two fuel lines and one oil line. An oil streak was noted on the runway surface, and no oil was found in the engine. The pilot stated that the fire likely resulted from oil leaking onto the hot turbocharger.
Factual narrative
While taxiing after landing, the engine lost power and the pilot turned the airplane off the runway. The pilot exited the airplane and noticed smoke at the rear of the airplane near the engine. The pilot attempted to extinguish the fire; however, his efforts were unsuccessful and the airplane was consumed by the fire. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 4.9 flight hours. Post accident examination of the airplane showed loose B-nuts on two fuel lines and one oil line. An oil streak was noted on the runway surface and no oil was found in the engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N904DB
- Reported as
- Black Donald Cozy III
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 64
- Airframe hours
- 4.9
- Engine
- Mazda RX8, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- On File
- Registered owner
- On File
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- July 26, 2012
- Departed
- E98 · Los Lunas, NM
- Destination
- E98 · Los Lunas, NM
- Airport
- E98 · Mid Valley Airpart
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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 14, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,160 total · 5 in this make and model · 7 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 22, 2012, 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.
Other investigations on N904DB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.