Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fresno, California 93704
Tuesady, October 19, 1999 9:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed on a VFR cross-country flight. While cruising at 9,500 feet msl, smoke filled the cockpit, coming from the engine compartment. The pilot was monitoring the local approach control. He declared an emergency and started a descent. He was unable, however, to see an airport in the immediate area due to limited forward visibility. He subsequently landed in a residential area under development and collided with two parked cars. Postaccident examination of the engine compartment revealed that the exhaust heater core aft end plate had failed and was open. The end plate was found in the engine compartment. The failure caused the right side exhaust to exit directly at the firewall, partially separated by the airplane battery and cabin air-mixing valve.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Inadequate maintenance inspection mandated by the FAA, and the inadequate design of the exhaust heater core/muffler and deflectors that failed to divert hot exhaust gasses away from the battery and cabin heat valve.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/19/1999
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City FRESNO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93704
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 10
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID FAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 333
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1868
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 19 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1520
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N756LE
NTSB Number LAX00LA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model TR182
Aircraft Series Identifier TR182
Aircraft Serial Number 01101
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Oct 10 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 1313
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN J. WILSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2976 ALHAMBRA DR.
Aircraft Owner City CAMERON PARK
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95682
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 061
Departure City CAMERON PARK
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SNA
Destination City SANTA ANA
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2001 4:07AM
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 --