Culpeper Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Culpeper, Virginia 22701
Saturday, October 13, 1990 15:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT INDICATED THAT DURING AN APPROACH TO LAND, HE NOTED THE SMELL OF A POSSIBLE OVERHEAT CONDITION, BUT THE ODOR WENT AWAY. HE CHECKED THE ACFT AFTER LANDING, BUT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DISCREPANCIES. HE TOOK OFF SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, AND DURING THE CLIMBOUT, SMOKE BEGAN FILLING THE CABIN. THE SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE AREA OF THE RUDDER PEDALS AND FLAMES APPEARED SOON AFTERWARDS. THE PLT TURNED BACK TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED GEARUP. THE ACFT SLID OFF THE RUNWAY AND INTO A DITCH. A FIRE ERUPTED, BUT THE PLT AND PAX ESCAPED THE ACFT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED INTERGRANULAR CRACKING OF THE CLAMP THAT CONNECTED THE TURBOCHARGER AND TAILPIPE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INTERGRANULAR CRACKING (FATIGUE) FAILURE OF THE EXHAUST CLAMP, WHICH RESULTED IN A DISCONNECTED EXHAUST MANIFOLD (TAILPIPE), AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/13/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CULPEPER
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22701
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CULPEPER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W49
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 313
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 15
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.7
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2225
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 13 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43980
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N987CM
NTSB Number BFO91LA003
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 In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20M
Aircraft Series Identifier M20M
Aircraft Serial Number 27-0013
Certified Max Gross Weight 3368
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 74
Airframe Hours 199
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES M. HUNTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10560 MAIN ST STE LL19
Aircraft Owner City FAIRFAX
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22030
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code W49
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1510
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code W10
Destination City MANASSAS
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 4
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --