None Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frederick, Oklahoma 73752
Friday, May 20, 2011 15:13 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

About 20 minutes after the private pilot and his passenger departed on a local flight, the pilot noticed his feet were getting hot. He thought it might have been the cabin heat, but the heat grew more intense, and the cockpit began to fill with a gray/bluish-colored smoke. The pilot then observed black smoke and flames near his left foot. The pilot made a forced landing to a muddy field where he and his passenger were able to exit the airplane before it was rapidly consumed by fire. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the entire fuselage, tail section, right wing, and the inboard section of the left wing were consumed by fire. The engine compartment also sustained extensive fire damage. The origin of the fire could not be determined due to the extensive damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An in-flight fire for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/20/2011
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1513
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Frederick
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73752
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 342104N
Event Location Longitude 0985901W
Event Location Airport None
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID FDR
Elevation of weather observation facility 1258
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.67
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 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29836
NTSB Notification Source NTSB Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 17 2012 2:36PM
User who most recently changed record snyg
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8957D
NTSB Number CEN11LA350
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-160
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-6120
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 2 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 2856
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name RIPLEY JIMMY C
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 1 BOX 28
Aircraft Owner City FREDERICK
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73542-9711
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name RIPLEY JIMMY C
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City FREDERICK
Operator State OK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 73542-9711
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 --
Departure City Frederick
Departure State OK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1450
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Frederick
Destination State OK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 12 2012 9:06AM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --