DEN01LA109

While on a test flight, in a new homebuilt experimental airplane, a fuel leak into the cockpit occurred. The pilot declared an emergency, and during final approach to land, a fire developed in the cockpit. The pilot ground looped the airplane on the runway in front of the tower. Fixed base operator personnel extinguished the fire and removed the seriously injured pilot from the airplane. Due to thermal damage, the source of the fuel leak and subsequent fire was not found.

On June 1, 2001, at 1208 mountain daylight time, an experimental homebuilt 2001 McGirl Questair Venture airplane, N5QV, was destroyed when it caught fire on short final to land at Ogden-Hinckley Airport, Ogden, Utah. The airline transport pilot and sole occupant received serious thermal injuries. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

The airplane was in a test status following construction and initial inspection by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The airframe had accumulated 12 hours of total time in service.

According to the pilot, he had proceeded to the test area in the vicinity of Brigham City, Utah, and was at 10,500 feet above men sea level (msl), when he noted some engine roughness. He said he considered landing at Brigham City, but by manipulating the mixture control he was able to smooth out the engine operation so he decided to return to Ogden. In his statement, the pilot said he was about 12 miles from Ogden when he noted a fuel leak which emanated from behind the glare shield and dripped on the cockpit floor and his right leg. The Ogden Air Traffic Control Tower was notified and the pilot set up for a straight in landing on runway 16. He lowered the landing gear when he was about 2 miles from the runway and shut off the main fuel tank.

The pilot said that on short final, or just after landing, the fuel ignited and he had fire in the cockpit. He said he released the canopy hold down and shut down the engine. When in front of the tower, he said he ground looped the airplane, but was unable to exit on his own due to his hands being burned.

According to the tower controller, the pilot was cleared to land the airplane on any runway after informing the tower he had fuel/fumes in the cockpit. Following a fast unstable landing on runway 16, the airplane reversed direction on the runway and stopped adjacent to the control tower with fire evident in and around the cockpit. Persons who worked for the fixed base operator (FBO) extinguished the fire and removed the pilot from the airplane.

Examination of the airplane provided evidence that the fire was more pronounced on the left and lower portion of the engine compartment and the left side of the cockpit. Due to the fire damage, the origin of the fuel leak and subsequent fire was not found.