Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Jordan, Utah 84088
Saturday, July 18, 1998 12:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had washed the airplane and said he was going to 'take it around the pattern.' Shortly after takeoff, witnesses heard the engine backfire, heard a muffled explosion, and saw flames and smoke coming from the engine area. The engine was 'sputtering' as the airplane descended and collided with terrain in a residential area. The stainless steel shroud around the turbocharger was scorched and discolored. The main fuel line showed signs of high heat distress, but had not been breached except where it attached to the separated engine.. The exhaust pipe was separated from the turbocharger, and the clamp that held it in place was broken. According to the metallurgist's factual report, there was a brittle transverse fracture of the circumferential tensioning band near one of two resistance spot welds, and had propagated to both edges of the band. There were preexisting cracks at both of the spot welds. The airplane had accrued only 343.1 hours since manufacture.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A brittle fracture of the clamp that joins the exhaust pipe to the turbocharger. The pipe separated and hot exhaust gases escaped into the engine compartment. The engine lost power due to the high heat vaporizing fuel in the fuel line. Factors were inadequate quality control by the clamp manufacturer; the pilot's intentional maneuvering of the airplane to avoid houses and personnel, and the lack of suitable terrain on which to make a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City WEST JORDAN
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84088
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 6
Weather Observation Facility ID SLC
Elevation of weather observation facility 4227
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
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) 38
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7566
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1323
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 18 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1318
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N61174
NTSB Number FTW98FA325
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 Commander
Aircraft Model 114TC
Aircraft Series Identifier 114TC
Aircraft Serial Number 20014
Certified Max Gross Weight 3305
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 23 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 343
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAZIER EXCAVATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 132 WEST 13490 SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City DRAPER
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84020
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code U42
Departure City SALT LAKE CITY
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1155
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --