Lakeland Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lakeland, Florida 33802
Sunday, April 10, 1988 16:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN IN FLIGHT FIRE IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WHILE PERFORMING ACROBATIC MANEUVERS AT AN AIRSHOW. THE AIRCRAFT IS EQUIPPED WITH A PUMP THAT INJECTS OIL INTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM TO PRODUCE A VISIBLE SMOKE TRAIL WHEN VAPORIZED BY THE EXHAUST GASES. THE PILOT FAILED TO TURN THE PUMP OFF WHILE DOING AN INVERTED SPIN. HE ATTRIBUTED THE FIRE TO THE IGNITION OF SMOKE OIL THAT HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AT THE LOW POWER SETTINGS USED IN THE INVERTED SPIN. THE FIRE WAS VISIBLE STREAMING FROM THE ENGINE BACK TO THE EMPENNAGE. THE COCKPIT FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THE AFT LOWER FUSELAGE FABRIC WAS BURNED AWAY. THE PILOT HAD A BRIEF GLIMPSE OF THE RUNWAY BEFORE TURNING OFF THE FUEL AND ATTEMPTING TO LAND. HE THOUGHT HE PASSED OUT BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON THE AIRPORT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/10/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LAKELAND
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33802
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKELAND MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LAL
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 142
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1604 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 142
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 633
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36501
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N82RC
NTSB Number MIA88DL001
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 FALCON SPECIAL
Aircraft Model S/R
Aircraft Series Identifier S/R
Aircraft Serial Number O-540-2
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 7 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 160
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONDAL R. COX
Aircraft Owner Street Address 19155 BLACK OAK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SONORA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95370
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1, BOX 87
Operator City MOUNTAIN GROVE
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 65711
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1610
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Descent
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 --