Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gastonia, North Carolina 28052
Thursday, May 25, 1995 16:51 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE, IN-FLIGHT, WITH SMOKE AND FIRE TRAILING ALONG THE BELLY OF THE AIRPLANE. THE FLAMES AND SMOKE APPEARED TO COME FROM THE AFT END OF THE ENGINE COWL. SOOT TRAILS WERE FOUND, EXTERNALLY, ON THE CABIN DOOR AND THE RUDDER, THAT WERE ALIGNED WITH AERODYNAMIC AIR FLOW. THERE WAS HEAT DAMAGE TO INTERIOR COMPONENTS, IN THE AREA OF THE FIRE WALL & NOSE GEAR WELL. THE GREATEST FIRE DAMAGE WAS TO THE NOSE WHEEL, THE NOSE WHEEL WELL, AND THE SURROUNDING AREA. IMPACT AND GROUND FIRE DAMAGE PRECLUDED A DETERMINATION OF THE FIRE INITIATION POINT AND THE IGNITION SOURCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An in-flight fire of undetermined origin that resulted in a loss of control and impact with the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/1995
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1651
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GASTONIA
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28052
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1004
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 25 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N453A
NTSB Number ATL95FA099
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHLAGENHAUF
Aircraft Model LANCAIR IV
Aircraft Series Identifier LANCAIR IV
Aircraft Serial Number 172
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Apr 14 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 14
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MACKENZIE AIR LTD.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 700 SAM NEWELL RD, PO BOX 1395
Aircraft Owner City MATTHEWS
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28106
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 0A6
Departure City
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --