- Date
- March 12, 1994, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sebring, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8938WPiper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 18, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940312004999A
- Case key
- 37508
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 failure of the muffler in flight for unknown reasons, allowing hot exhaust gasses to impinge on the carburetor igniting the fuel and the subsequent fire.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
On initial climb after takeoff the pilot observed smoke and flames near the engine area, along with a loss of power. He turned back to the airport and landed. The airplane continued to burn until local fire department personnel extinguished the fire. Examination of the engine area revealed that the muffler had burst, and allowed hot exhaust gasses to impinge on the carburetor.
Factual narrative
On March 12, 1994, about 1100 eastern standard time, N8938W, a Piper PA-28-235, registered to Horton Drilling Company, experienced an in-flight fire on takeoff from Sebring Airport, Sebring, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that after takeoff about 800 feet agl the engine failed and smoke and flames were observed from the firewall area. He turned back to the airport, landed, and evacuated the airplane. Local fire departments arrived and extinguished the fire after it consumed a major portion of the airplane.
FAA investigators examined the aircraft and found a hole in the aft portion of the muffler. The location of the hole would allow hot exhaust gases to leak directly on to the carburetor.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8938W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-10505
- Airframe hours
- 2,600
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B4B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Horton Well Drilling
- Registered owner
- Horton, Harold C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 17, 1993 · 30 hours before
- Airport
- SEF · Sebring Airport, runway 14, 5,000 × 300 ft, concrete
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 628 total · 300 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.