Blake Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delta, Colorado 81416
Wednesday, March 21, 1990 15:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS BACK TAXING FOR TAKEOFF AND DISCOVERED AN ENGINE FIRE. HE CALLED ON UNICOM THAT THE PLANE WAS ON FIRE. HE EXITED AND WAS MET BY TWO MEN WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE PLANE WAS TOWED OFF THE RUNWAY. A POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT A FLEXIBLE FUEL LINE HAD DETERIORATED AND BEGAN TO LEAK ONTO THE EXHAUST MUFFLER, IGNITING A FIRE WHICH DAMAGED MOST OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE, SEVERAL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FIREWALL. THE LOG BOOK PROVIDED NO EVIDENCE OF RECENT WORK IN THIS AREA, AND SHOWED 71 FLIGHT HOURS SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A DETERIORATED FUEL LINE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/21/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City DELTA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81416
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BLAKE FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1V9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5166
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 13000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 622
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 21 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41626
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3372F
NTSB Number DEN90LA077
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182J
Aircraft Series Identifier 182J
Aircraft Serial Number 182-57372
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 2804
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE W DIXON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6600 METHODIST LANE
Aircraft Owner City SALIDA
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GEORGE W. DIXON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6600 METHODIST DRIVE
Operator City SALIDA
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 81201
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 0V2
Departure City SALIDA
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 0V2
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 21
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --