Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Henderson, Nevada 89015
Thursday, November 6, 1986 1:44 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

APPROXIMATELY 5 1/2 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE AND WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING ENROUTE, AN UNKNOWN IGNITION SOURCE TRIGGERED AN EXPLOSION OF FUEL/AIR VAPOR WHICH EXISTED WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF THE LEFT WING. WING SKIN FROM THE UPPER/LOWER WING SURFACE WAS LOST, HOWEVER, THE WING STRUCTURE REMAINED INTEGRAL AND THE PILOTS CONTINUED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT EXECUTING A 180 DEGREE COURSE REVERSAL BACK TO MCCARRAN INTNL AIRPORT. SUBSEQUENT TO THE EXPLOSION A FIRE DEVELOPED WITHIN THE LEFT ENGINE AREA. AS THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED BACK TOWARDS MCCARRAN THE AIRSPEED GRADUALLY DIMINISHED AND THE LANDING GEAR WERE LOWERED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE LEFT WING ENTERED A STALL CONDITION BROUGHT ABOUT BY A DECREASE OF AIRSPEED AS WELL AS THE DEGRADATION OF ITS LIFT DEVELOPING CAPABILITIES DUE TO THE EXPLOSION INDUCED DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLABLE LEFT ROLL SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET ABOVE GROUND FROM WHICH A SUCCESSFUL RECOVERY COULD NOT BE EXECUTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/6/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 144
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City HENDERSON
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89015
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 147 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 267
Weather Observation Facility ID LAS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2174
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1976
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 6 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32453
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3219Q
NTSB Number SEA87MA018
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 401
Aircraft Series Identifier 401
Aircraft Serial Number 4010019
Certified Max Gross Weight 6300
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 3 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 5083
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WAYNE L. SOUTH
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 9357
Aircraft Owner City ALBUQUERQUE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87119
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Mail
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LAS
Departure City LAS VEGAS
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 137
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ABQ
Destination City ALBUQUERQUE
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --