Amateur-built SC.7 accident near Nikolai, Alaska, August 11, 1995
On August 11, 1995 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built SC.7, registered N504FS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nikolai, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IGNITION OF HAZARDOUS CARGO (AVIATION FUEL) BY AN EXPOSED ELECTRICAL WIRE, AFTER LEAKING FROM A CONTAINER OF FUEL THAT WAS BEING TRANSPORTED ON THE FLIGHT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND FAILURE OF COMPANY PERSONNEL TO IDENTIFY THE LEAKING FUEL CONTAINER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1995 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nikolai, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SC.7
- Registration
- N504FS · no longer on the register · serial SH-1953
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DELIVERING A LOAD OF CARGO THAT INCLUDED BARRELS OF 100LL OCTANE AVIATION FUEL TO A REMOTE AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT REPORTED FIRE AND SMOKE IN THE CARGO COMPARTMENT. HE BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DESCENT AND LANDED AT THE DESTINATION AIRSTRIP. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM ONE OF THE BARRELS. THE FIRE WAS LOCATED BETWEEN THE CARGO AREA FLOORING AND THE BOTTOM BELLY OF THE AIRPLANE. THERE WAS FIRE AND HEAT DAMAGE TO THE CARGO BAY AND MELTING OF THE AIRFRAME ASSEMBLY, INCORPORATING THE REAR SPAR AND SEVERAL AIRFRAME STATIONS. AN AREA OF SOOTING AND A CHARRED SECTION OF ELECTRICAL WIRING WAS FOUND BELOW THE FLOORING, ADJACENT TO THE MOUNTING POSITION OF A LOWER FUSELAGE BEACON THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED SOMETIME IN THE PAST. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PROTECTING THE ELECTRICAL LOADS FOR THE AIRPLANE'S ROTATING BEACONS WAS FOUND POPPED. APPLICATION OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE ROTATING BEACON CIRCUIT RESULTED IN PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE UPPER FUSELAGE BEACON AND THE PRESENCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE CHARRED WIRING.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,965 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 7, 1995; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 12:27 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.