Dallas North Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plano, Texas 75074
Wednesday, December 5, 1990 7:23 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER HAND PROPPING THE ENGINE ABOUT 15 TIMES AND PRIMING IT THREE TIMES THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A START. HE SAID THAT THE ENGINE HIT THREE TIMES AND THEN STOPPED. HE SUBSEQUENTLY PRIMED THE ENGINE TWO MORE TIMES AND ATTEMPTED A SECOND START. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT THE ENGINE HIT ONCE AND THEN HE OBSERVED SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM THE COWLING. HE ABANDONED THE AIRPLANE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. IT APPEARED THAT THE FIRE ORGINATED IN THE AREA OF THE AIR INTAKE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE APPROVED START PROCEDURES WHICH RESULTED IN AN INDUCTION FIRE AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/5/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 723
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City PLANO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75074
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DALLAS NORTH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F26
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 707
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 647 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ADS
Elevation of weather observation facility 643
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 1934
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 5 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 939
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44498
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6297D
NTSB Number FTW91LA020
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 172-72702
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 9 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 2106
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RUDDER, JOHNNY L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1917 CHERBOURGH
Aircraft Owner City PLANO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75075
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STRANMEL AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7600 CUSTER RD.
Operator City PLANO
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75086
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code F26
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SHV
Destination City SHREVEPORT
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 --