Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Buffalo Niagra International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Buffalo, New York 14201
Thursday, December 11, 2003 21:15 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After landing, as the pilot pulled into the ramp area, he noticed an orange glow at his feet, and notified airport personnel over the radio that he had a fire in the airplane. The pilot brought the airplane to a stop, and airport crash fire rescue extinguished the fire. Examination of the airplane revealed the fire burnt a hole through the fuselage skin in the area of the Janitrol heater, just aft of the left wing root. The entire area forward of the Janitrol heater, including the wiring and plumbing of the heater, as well as the cockpit and cabin was consumed by fire. The pilot reported that his normal procedure for using the Janitrol heater was to turn it off at the same time he extended the landing gear while on approach. The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH), Description and Operations section stated, "The three positions of the cabin heat control switch are 'HEAT,' 'FAN,' and 'OFF'...It is advisable to place the switch in the fan position for several minutes after the heater has been operating to allow the unit to cool down before it is turned off." The Normal Procedures section of the POH required that the switch be turned to the "FAN" position while completing the Before and After Landing checklists. The Shutdown checklist called for the switch to be switched to the "OFF" position.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper procedure with regard to the cabin heater, which resulted in the over temperature of the heater and subsequent fire.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/11/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 2115 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Buffalo |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 14201 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 425625N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0784355W |
| Event Location Airport | Buffalo Niagra International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BUF |
| 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 | 724 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2054 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BUF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 724 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 0 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 20 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 25 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.77 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17209 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ROC FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 12 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1410 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 27 2005 3:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Rochester FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N40259 |
| NTSB Number | NYC04LA047 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-23-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27-7305069 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5200 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 20 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 60 |
| Airframe Hours | 12300 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Vincent Licolli Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Philadelphia |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19136 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | NORTHEAST AVIATION INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Philadelphia |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 19136 |
| Operator Code | NAHA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | Cargo |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MMU |
| Departure City | Morristown |
| Departure State | NJ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1930 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | BUF |
| Destination City | Buffalo |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Taxi - from landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 8102 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |