Falcon Fld Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesa, Arizona 85205
Wednesday, May 29, 1985 16:13 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMB ON A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT A FIRE ERUPTED BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL & THE ACFT WAS RETURNED FOR LANDING. DURING ROLL OUT 6 INCH LONG FLAMES, SMOKE & NOXIOUS FUMES FILLED THE COCKPIT. WHEN THE ACFT SLOWED TO 10 MPH THE PLTS EXITED THE ACFT & THEREAFTER IT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE 15 AMP RATED WIRE 'DA1,' WHICH ROUTES CURRENT BETWEEN THE AMMETER, THE FLAP SWITCH & THE CIRCUIT BREAKER/BUS TERMINAL CONNECTOR HAD SHORTED & HAD FUSED ONTO THE CARBURETOR HEAD CONTROL LEVER. DURING MANUFACTURE OF THE ACFT THE WIRE IS NOT ROUTED AGAINST THE CARB. HEAT CONTROL LEVER. HOWEVER, DURING MAINTENANCE OF THE NEARBY GEAR SELECTOR LINES WIRE DA1 COULD BE IMPROPERLY REROUTED & THUS PRESSED AGAINST THE CARBURETOR CONTROL LEVER WHICH MAY RESULT IN EVENTUAL WEAR & ELECTRICAL SHORTING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/29/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1613
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MESA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85205
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FALCON FLD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFZ
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 1393
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1600 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FFZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1393
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 45
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) 29
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2584
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 30 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30106
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N737YN
NTSB Number LAX85LA263
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model TR 182
Aircraft Series Identifier TR 182
Aircraft Serial Number R 18200896
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 1182
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUPERSTITION AIR SERV., INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4766 FALCON DRIVE
Operator City MESA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85205
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FFZ
Departure City MESA
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1610
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FFZ
Destination City MESA
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 4
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --