Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Harlingen, Texas 78550
Friday, July 3, 1992 6:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN AGRICULTURE SPRAYING FLIGHT THE FLAG MAN NOTICED THE AIRPLANE ON FIRE. USING HIS RADIO HE NOTIFIED THE PILOT OF THE SITUATION. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO AN AREA ADJACENT TO A ROAD. DURING THE LANDING THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED. FOLLOWING THE LANDING THE AIRPLANE WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A FUEL LINE HAD COME LOOSE DUE TO IT NOT BEING CORRECTLY INSTALLED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INFLIGHT FIRE DUE TO A LOOSE FUEL FITTING AND FUEL LINE DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 650
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HARLINGEN
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78550
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2596
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 3 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47321
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7616V
NTSB Number FTW92DRG02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERO COMMANDER
Aircraft Model CALLAIR A-9B
Aircraft Series Identifier CALLAIR A-
Aircraft Serial Number 1344
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 28 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 88
Airframe Hours 2888
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TEXAS DUSTING SERVICES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 70
Aircraft Owner City RIO HONDO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78583
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TEXAS DUSTING SERVICES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 70
Operator City RIO HONDO
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78583
Operator Code EYHG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code XS63
Departure City RIO HONDO
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
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 10:35AM
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 --