Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Valdosta Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Valdosta, Georgia 31607
Saturday, April 4, 2009 18:48 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The experimental amateur-built airplane was on its third flight, which was the first flight for the pilot/owner. About 20 minutes after departure, the pilot reported to air traffic control (ATC) that he had smoke in the cockpit and was approximately 9 miles from the airport. Subsequently, the pilot notified ATC that he had a fire in the cockpit. No further communications were received from the pilot and the airplane descended into trees. The airplane structure, which was comprised of wood and foam/fiberglass, exhibited extensive fire damage and was consumed by both in-flight and postimpact fire. The two previous flights were conducted by another pilot, who reported after the second flight there had been a blue staining around the fuel valve for the 15-gallon header tank. The accident pilot had installed a cigarette lighter in the airplane about 1 week prior to the accident; however, it could not be determined where the lighter was installed or if the leaking fuel valve was repaired. Due to the extensive fire damage, the fire's ignition source was not located.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
An in-flight fire for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/4/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1848 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Valdosta |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 31607 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 304501N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0831633W |
| Event Location Airport | Valdosta Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | VLD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 203 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1853 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | VLD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 203 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26929 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern C-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2010 2:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N456CH |
| NTSB Number | ERA09LA231 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground and In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Howard William C |
| Aircraft Model | KR-2 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 9126 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1200 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | William C. Howard |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Monticello |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32344 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | William C. Howard |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Monticello |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32344 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | VLD |
| Departure City | Valdosta |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1825 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | VLD |
| Destination City | Valdosta |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2010 2:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 8002 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |