# NTSB NYC94LA041: Cessna 172N, N5753E, Bar Harbor, ME, December 17, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 17, 1993, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Bar Harbor, ME - Location: 44.4497° N, 68.3615° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HANCOCK COUNTY/BAR HARBOR (BHB), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4497&lon=-68.3615&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Standing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/150) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 30, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38721 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC94LA041 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38721/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA041 ## Probable cause A DISCONNECTED FUEL LINE WITH THE CARBURETOR NOT INSTALLED, AND IMPROPER DISPATCH OF THE AIRCRAFT. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, standing - starting engine(s) - maintenance - initiated, company maintenance personnel - fuel system,line - disconnected (cause) - fuel system,carburetor - not installed (cause) - dispatch - improper, company/operator management (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT DID NOT KNOW THE CARBURETOR WAS REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE FOR REPAIR, AND HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED. THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE WAS RECOWLED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS PUT BACK IN ITS REGULAR PARKING SPOT ON THE RAMP. THERE WAS NO PLACARD INSTALLED IN OR ON THE AIRPLANE TO VISUALLY ALERT SOMEONE TO THE AIRPLANE BEING OUT-OF-SERVICE. WHEN THE PILOT CALLED TO SCHEDULE THE AIRPLANE, HE WAS TOLD IT WAS AVAILABLE, AND HE WAS LISTED FOR ITS USE THAT AFTERNOON. DURING THE PILOT'S WALK AROUND INSPECTION, HE DID NOT SEE THAT THE CARBURETOR WAS OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER COMPLETING THE INSPECTION, THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER BOARDED THE AIRPLANE. HE THEN PLACED THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE BOTH POSITION AND PRIMED THE ENGINE. WHEN THE PILOT TURNED THE KEY TO THE START POSITION, A FIRE ERUPTED. ## Factual narrative On Friday, December 17, 1993, at about 1230 eastern standard time, a Cessna 172, N5753E, piloted by Mr. Edward Hatch, caught fire and burned during the engine start at the Bar Harbor Airport, Bar Harbor, Maine. The airplane was destroyed. The pilot and the one passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR 91. The pilot did not know the carburetor was removed from the engine for maintenance and had not been replaced. After doing a pre-flight inspection, the pilot and his passenger boarded the airplane. He then placed the fuel selector in the both position, and primed the engine. When the pilot turned the key to the start position, the airplane caught on fire. According to the FAA, the Flying Club's Vice- President was informed by the Acadia Air, maintenance personnel, that the carburetor needed to be repaired or exchanged for a rebuilt carburetor. On December 15, 1993, the carburetor was removed from the airplane's engine and was to be repaired, and a repairable tag for the removed carburetor was initiated. FAA Inspector, Joseph Murray, wrote in his report: ...the aircraft was returned to its normal parking spot...on the South parking area with the engine recowled. The air filter and associated hardware had been removed by V. Ghergia and placed inside the aircraft behind the pilot's seat. He also placed the fuel tank selector valve to the "off" position. There was no placard installed in or on the aircraft to visually alert someone to the aircraft being out of service. The Club President, the Club Secretary- Treasurer and Acadia Air Maintenance personnel were the only people knowledgeable of the aircraft's condition... On the morning of December 17, 1993, the pilot, Mr. Hatch called Acadia Air requesting the availability of N5753E at 1230 that afternoon. He was told by an Acadia Air employee, that the airplane was available, and he was scheduled for the airplane from 1230 through 1500. The pilot did a walkaround inspection and did not observe the missing carburetor or the parts behind the pilot's seat. The airplane caught fire when he started the airplane's engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5753E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5753E-1994-05-03), registration cancelled 1994-05-03, S/N 17271933 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17271933 - Airframe hours: 4253 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Frenchmen'S Bay Flying Club - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 27, 1993 - Departed: BHB - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: BHB, Bar Harbor ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 220 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19931217046969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19931217046969A), Dec 17, 1993: Cessna 172N, Bar Harbor, ME, Destroyed. Caught fire burned on engine start. Carburetor removed for exchange. No placards or flag. Advised plane available. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.