Amateur-built Lancair 360 accident near Guntersville, Alabama, January 23, 2007
On January 23, 2007 at about 7:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Lancair 360, registered N117BG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Guntersville, Alabama (Guntersville Municipal Airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
Failure of an unapproved automotive fuel line installed by the owner/pilot mechanic which resulted in an engine fire during taxi after landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 2007 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Guntersville, Alabama · Guntersville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Lancair 360
- Registration
- N117BG · registry record · serial BG-L-0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while taxiing following a normal landing he smelled fiberglass and then observed smoke and fire coming from the engine cowling. He immediately stopped the airplane, and egressed. He said the airplane continued to burn. Examination of the airplane by an FAA Inspector found the airplane partially consumed by fire. Examination of the engine revealed that the fuel line from the fuel servo to the flow divider had melted from the connection at the fuel servo to the cylinder baffling. The hose was still connected to the flow divider and retained torque on the fitting. The hose was removed and examination provided that the approximately half of its original length had been burnt away or melted. Examination revealed that the hose was of non-aviation automotive origin and identified as SAE. The construction of the hose was of plastic with a vinyl outer coating. Examination of the fuel line fitting still attached to the fuel servo revealed threads in the socket were clean with no residual hose material present in the threads. There was a light amount of melted plastic on the outer end of the socket. The hose had not been properly assembled, thus allowing fuel to escape into the engine compartment.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,920 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2,735 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2006; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 8A1 Guntersville AL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 8A1 Guntersville AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 3,368 ft by 95 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from HSV, 20 miles away
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.