Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Saturday, October 9, 2004 15:20 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airline transport certificated pilot reported that he was on a local personal flight in his twin engine amphibian airplane, when a fire erupted from the instrument panel. He was unable to completely extinguish the fire, and he attempted to make an emergency landing at a small dirt airstrip. He was unable to reach the airstrip due to the fire and smoke, and he elected to make a forced landing in trees short of the airstrip. The pilot said he did not know what started the fire. He noted that he had recently rearranged some wiring behind the instrument panel. He also said that when he reduced power to the engines, the fire diminished, although he is not certain the fire was fuel related. The source of the fire was undetermined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An in-flight fire during cruise flight for an undetermined reason.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/9/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1520
Event Time Zone --
Event City Anchorage
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 611500N
Event Location Longitude 1495700W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17664
NTSB Notification Source Anchorage ROC
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 8 2005 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N701Q
NTSB Number ANC05LA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCAN
Aircraft Model 30
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 14
Certified Max Gross Weight 5500
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 4100
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John S. Spencer
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Indian
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98540
Operator is an individual? No
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 None
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code Z41
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1510
Departure Time Zone ADT
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 Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --