Chalet Suzanne Air Strip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Wales, Florida 33859
Saturday, May 21, 2005 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated while in flight about 6,500 feet, near his departure airport, as he was maneuvering he smelled fuel, and felt a spray of fuel on his leg. He immediately dove the airplane and landed uneventfully. After taxiing to parking, and upon securing the engine, the airplane suddenly became engulfed with flames. Postcrash examination of the airplane revealed that a fuel line had become loose and had detached from the fuel servo fitting while inflight. According to the pilot, post-crash examination of the airplane revealed that a fuel line that had become loose and had detached from the fuel servo fitting while inflight. He said that while the propeller was turning, the slipstream kept the fuel away from the exhaust piping, however, once the engine was secured, the fuel leaked on to the exhaust piping and a fire had erupted. The pilot said that the airplane's logbook showed that it had last received an inspection, and had been returned to service on January 20, 2005. He also said purchased the airplane on May 17, 2005, and had only flown it for about 3 or 4 hours.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Improper maintenance inspection by other maintenance personnel, which resulted in a loose fuel line fitting going undetected, a fuel leak onto exhaust piping, and a fire.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Lake Wales
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33859
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 275308N
Event Location Longitude 0813603W
Event Location Airport Chalet Suzanne Air Strip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X25
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 130
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID KLAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 122
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.81
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18329
NTSB Notification Source Pilot/Owner
NTSB Notification Date May 23 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2005 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Orlando

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5WD
NTSB Number MIA05LA106
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Pitts
Aircraft Model S1S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 105D
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 59
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Eric C. Hinshaw
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1443 S. Lake Roy Dr.
Aircraft Owner City Winter Haven
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33884
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 X25
Departure City Lake Wales
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code X25
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 9 2008 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2313
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --