Amateur-built SH II accident near San Bernardino, California, July 1, 2019
On July 1, 2019, a 1988 amateur-built SH II, registered N279G, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (into takeoff position) near San Bernardino, California (San Bernardino Intl airport). It was a personal 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
A fuel leak caused by age-degraded fuel hoses, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and fire before takeoff. Contributing to the accident was inadequate maintenance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2019
- Place
- San Bernardino, California · San Bernardino Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SH II, built 1988
- Registration
- N279G · no longer on the register · serial 279
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the pilot advanced the throttle for takeoff, the engine lost all power and a fire erupted in the engine compartment of the experimental amateur-built airplane, causing substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. Construction of the airplane was completed almost 31 years before the accident, and the airplane sat idle for the 15 years leading up to its last inspection, about 8 months (33 flight hours) before the accident. The fire appeared to originate in the area of the gascolator and engine-driven fuel pump, an area that would have experienced relative movement between the engine and airframe while in operation. The airplane was equipped with rubber fuel hoses, none of which appeared to have been replaced since the airplane was built. It is likely that the hoses, due to their excessive age, degraded and became brittle over time, resulting in a fuel leak and eventual fire.
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
What happened, in order
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during taxi (into takeoff position) defining event
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during taxi (into takeoff position)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › Hoses and tubes › Not serviced/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › (general) › Not serviced/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,250 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 5,250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 5, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 587.3 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 18, 2018; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,704 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2C (piston); 587 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SBD San Bernardino CA at 2:15 am
- Destination: EMT El Monte CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 226° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 28.70 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from KSBD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 10, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Maintenance Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Safety Guide for Selecting and Using Parker Aerospace Hose, Fittings and Related Accessories | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photographs - NTSB Provided | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.