Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Provo, Utah 84603
Wednesday, May 15, 1996 8:24 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The owner and flight instructor were advised by a ramp service agent of a fuel leak coming from the underside of the right engine after starting the left engine. The left engine was shut down and one of the pilots examined the leak and then re-entered the aircraft. The aircraft's left engine was then restarted followed by the right engine, and then the aircraft was taxied out for takeoff. The first takeoff was aborted for undetermined reasons. The aircraft then departed. Approximately 40 minutes later a radio transmission from the aircraft indicated an engine fire. The aircraft was witnessed diving toward the surface of Utah Lake and then skipping over the water before disappearing in a plume of spray. The aircraft crashed approximately two miles northwest of the Provo Municipal airport in 12 feet of water. Postcrash examination revealed an extensive fire in the right engine accessory area and aft into the wing locker area. Metallurgical examination of the right engine exhaust manifold components revealed erosion, oxidization, pitting, cracking and holes in areas of the exhaust tubing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A fuel leak most probably ignited by hot exhaust gases from the leaking right engine manifold exhaust system, the decision by the pilots to operate the aircraft with knowledge of the fuel leak, and the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain adequate clearance with the lake surface.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/15/1996
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 824
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City PROVO
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84603
Event Date Year 1996
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 Unknown
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 835 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 103
Weather Observation Facility ID PVU
Elevation of weather observation facility 4491
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 1650
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 15 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 818
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N600JR
NTSB Number SEA96FA094
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 320A
Aircraft Series Identifier 320A
Aircraft Serial Number 320A0028
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 13 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 4477
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GURR, JOHN, T.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1316 KENSINGTON AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84105
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SLC
Departure City SALT LAKE CITY
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 750
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVU
Destination City PROVO
Destination State UT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 --