Hobby Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77061
Monday, September 27, 1993 15:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING ENGINE START, UTILIZING THE HIGH BOOST PUMP, THE PILOT NOTED FLAMES COMING UP FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TOWARD THE DOOR. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EXIT BEFORE THE AIRPLANE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A CROSS THREADED OUTPUT LINE ON THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WHICH ALLOWED FUEL TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PUMP HAD BEEN REMOVED AND RE-INSTALLED EARLIER IN THE DAY. THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE POST-MAINTENANCE RUN UP STATED THAT HE HAD TO RUN THE BOOST PUMP ON LOW TO KEEP THE ENGINE FROM RUNNING ROUGH. HE DID NOT INFORM ANYONE OF THAT DIFFICULTY UNTIL AFTER RELEASING THE AIRPLANE FOR FLIGHT AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FUEL LEAK WHICH RESULTED FROM THE MECHANIC'S IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE FUEL LINE. A FACTOR WAS THE LEAD MECHANIC'S INADEQUATE POST RUN UP INSPECTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/27/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOUSTON
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77061
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOBBY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HOU
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
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 1450 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 30
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1369
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 27 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1605
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N80010
NTSB Number FTW93LA266
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E-2749
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 27 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 40
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED BEECHCRAFT, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 2966
Aircraft Owner City FT. LAUDERDALE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33315
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code HOU
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code HOU
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 --