Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Torchport Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Eastport, Michigan 49627
Wednesday, August 14, 2013 11:20 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he noticed the smell of gasoline while in cruise flight about 5 to 8 miles from his intended destination. He stated that when the airplane was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the smell of the gasoline became much stronger. During the landing flare, the engine stopped producing power, and the pilot smelled a very strong odor that he described as a burnt metal smell. After landing, the pilot departed the airplane quickly. About 45 seconds later, flames started coming out of the left side of the engine cowl. The fire spread, and within about 15 minutes, it had consumed most of the airplane. The examination of the wreckage revealed that the most extensive fire damage was located on the left rear side of the engine; however, the source of the fuel leak and fire could not be determined because of the fire damage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A fuel leak in the engine compartment and subsequent fire, the source of which could not be determined because of extensive postaccident fire damage.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/14/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1120 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Eastport |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49627 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 450321N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0852121W |
| Event Location Airport | Torchport Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 59M |
| 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 | 640 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 200 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TVC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 624 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 24 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.18 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | 141453Z 33006KT 10SM FEW046 BKN055 19/09 A3018 RMK |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32196 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AGL-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 24 2013 6:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N44351 |
| NTSB Number | CEN13LA490 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | TAYLORCRAFT |
| Aircraft Model | BC12-D1 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 10151 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1220 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 27 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3458 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | George Grissom |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | On File |
| Aircraft Owner City | Traverse City |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 49686 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | George Grissom |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | On File |
| Operator City | Traverse City |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 49686 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | TVC |
| Departure City | Travese City |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1050 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 59M |
| Destination City | Eastport |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 24 2013 6:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 04 |
| Runway Length | 2600 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |