Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marion, Texas 78124
Tuesady, November 24, 1998 16:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The amateur-built airplane impacted terrain following an emergency bailout by the pilot due to an in-flight fire which erupted during an aerobatic maneuver. The pilot stated that he was executing 'a half outside loop push from inverted with a full roll followed by a snap roll in horizontal flight at the completion of the half loop' and was approaching a near vertical attitude when he was 'splashed with a very significant amount of [fuel].' A fire erupted and the pilot exited the airplane. The pilot reported that he 'suspects a fuel line separated between the main tank and the header tank.' Witnesses reported that his parachute opened at about 250-300 feet AGL. The fuel line between the main fuel tank and the header tank was destroyed by fire. The fuel filler neck was examined at the NTSB Materials Laboratory for preexisting cracks around the fuel filer neck. No preexisting cracks were found.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The fuel leak for an undetermined reason which resulted in an in-flight fire.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/24/1998
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MARION
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78124
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 11
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 1551 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID BAZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 649
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
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) 8091
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1673
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 24 1998 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 11 2000 11:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N540HC
NTSB Number FTW99LA034
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 Stanton
Aircraft Model STAROS SA 260
Aircraft Series Identifier STAROS SA
Aircraft Serial Number 96-01
Certified Max Gross Weight 1638
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 15 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 188
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HC & NR INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 120 PASEO DEL RIO
Aircraft Owner City SEGUIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78155
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HENRY F. COFFEEN III
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 54R
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Maneuvering
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 --