Amateur-built MIG-17T accident near Aurora, Oregon, March 1, 1994
On March 1, 1994 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built MIG-17T, registered N306DM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Oregon (Aurora State Airport). It was a personal flight 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 A METAL FUEL LINE, RESULTING IN AN EXPLOSION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1994 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Oregon · Aurora State Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MIG-17T
- Registration
- N306DM · registry record · serial 0714
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN EXPLOSION IN THE TAIL OF THE MIG-17T. HE RETURNED TO THE FIELD AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT AN ALUMINUM FUEL LINE IN THE AFT SECTION HAD EXPERIENCED METALLURGICAL FAILURE. THE OWNER ADVISED ALL OTHER MIG-17 OPERATORS TO REPLACE THAT, AND OTHER, FUEL LINES WITH STAINLESS STEEL LINES.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 5,272 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,847 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 15, 1994; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 13,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: China WP5/BK1 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- 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.