- Date
- September 14, 2023, 19:29 local (Sep 15, 2023, 00:29 UTC)
- Place
- LIberty, MO
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N853HTRans S6
- Defining event
- Approach: Fire/smoke (non-impact)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230914015999A
- Case key
- 193081
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
The inflight fire and impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined due to extensive fire damage.
Findings · 2
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
According to information provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane was observed to be on fire before crashing short of an airpark. The fire continued postimpact and consumed the entire airplane. The non-certificated pilot suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized. The pilot’s family was not able to provide aircraft or pilot records and the pilot’s flight experience could not be substantiated. The FAA reported that the extensive fire damage precluded a thorough examination of the airplane and engine. The reason for the inflight fire and subsequent impact with terrain could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N853HT
- Reported as
- Rans S6 (ES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1190148
- Built
- 1990
- Engine
- Subaru EA81, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Both
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Meek Terry L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Airport
- 4MO4
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
- 60
- Injuries
- Serious
- Seat
- Single
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KGPH, 7 nm away
- METAR
- KGPH 150035Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 22/09 A3007 RMK AO2
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 4, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 747 KB 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.