Rockwell 500-S accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, March 19, 2003
On March 19, 2003 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Rockwell 500-S, registered N903AK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chickaloon, Alaska. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of an engine fuel line fitting by contracted maintenance personnel resulting in an in-flight engine fire. Contributing factors in the accident were an inadequate annual inspection by company maintenance personnel, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2003 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chickaloon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 500-S
- Registration
- N903AK · registry record · serial 3302
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Both engines of the twin-engine airplane were removed for overhaul and reinstalled by contracted maintenance personnel. The engines were then ground-run to assess their performance, and to check for any leaks. No leaks were found. An annual inspection was subseqently completed by the operator's maintenance personnel, and the airplane was released for a maintenance test flight. The preflight, engine runup, and the takeoff engine power settings were normal. Another pilot observed the takeoff of the accident airplane, and noticed what appeared to be a slight vapor trail coming from the left engine. He did not report his observations to the pilot. The accident flight was intended to check the turbocharging system by climbing to 12,000 feet. At 8,000 feet, the electrical system experienced a spike, but then returned to normal. As the airplane approached 11,000 feet, the left engine's fuel pressure began to fluctuate. The manifold pressure and rpm began to decrease. The pilot feathered the propeller, and shut-off the engine's fuel/hydraulic valve. The passenger then noticed flames coming from the left engine. The pilot began an emergency descent, and landed on a gravel bar. During the landing roll, the airplane received extensive damage to the fuselage and landing gear. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane and extinguished the flames from the left engine with a hand-held fire extinquisher. A trail of oil was visible on the ground along the airplane's approach path to the accident scene. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed extensive fire damage, sooting, and oil streaking coming from the left engine nacelle. Inspection of the left engine revealed that the fuel line, from the left wing tank to the engine driven fuel pump, was not connected. The interior threads of the fuel line fitting, and the exterior threads of the fuel pump nipple had extensive sooting.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,800 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 19, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,406.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 2003; 0.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-M1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: State Of Alaska Division Of Forestry
The flight
- Departed from: PAAQ Palmer AK at 1:53 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 325° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from PAAQ, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.