Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ridgeland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ridgeland, South Carolina 29936
Friday, May 7, 2010 15:11 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, while on short final he smelled fuel. While taxiing off the runway after landing, the passenger opened the door to ventilate the airplane. Immediately after opening the door, the cabin was engulfed in an intense fire, which blew out the windows. The pilot said that it was similar to a "vapor fire." The occupants exited the airplane and subsequently the airplane exploded a second time and was consumed by fire. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that the majority of the airplane was consumed by fire. Examination of the airplane revealed the fuel pump had automotive type rubber hoses and quick clamps used to attach the hoses to right angle fittings, instead of the fuel lines made of soft aluminum tubing provided by the kit manufacturer. Although it could not be determined if a fuel leak was caused by a faulty hose or clamp, it is likely that fuel had leaked from the builder's redesigned fuel system. It is also likely that a spark was generated by either the flap motor or from a static discharge. The pilot reported that he normally raises the flaps after clearing the runway, but could not recall if he had raised the flaps just prior to the first explosion.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
An explosion and fire of unknown origin during taxi from landing. Contributing to the accident was the builder's noncompliance with the manufacturer's suggested designed fuel system.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/7/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1511 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ridgeland |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29936 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 322923N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0805917W |
| Event Location Airport | Ridgeland Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3J1 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 79 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1456 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | NBC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 37 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.98 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28549 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern Region Comm Cente |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 10 2011 8:57AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N110TD |
| NTSB Number | ERA10LA256 |
| 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 |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | SWEZEY T/MOLNAR D |
| Aircraft Model | VANS RV-10 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 40135 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2950 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 2 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 150 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SWEZEY TODD D |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | SAVANNAH |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 31410-3330 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | SWEZEY TODD D |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | SAVANNAH |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 31410-3330 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | AHN |
| Departure City | Athens |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 3J1 |
| Destination City | Ridgeland |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 20 2011 2:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 21 |
| Runway Length | 2692 |
| Runway Width | 70 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |