Akrotech Aviation Giles G-202 accident near Santa Barbara, California, May 2, 2023
On May 2, 2023 at about 6:33 pm local time, a 2003 Akrotech Aviation Giles G-202, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered CGXGS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Santa Barbara, California (Santa Barbara Municipal Airpor 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
A fire that resulted from venting fuel coming into contact with hot exhaust surfaces or exhaust gases. Contributing to the fire was the design and location of the main tank fuel vent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2023 · about 6:33 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Barbara, California · Santa Barbara Municipal Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Akrotech Aviation Giles G-202, built 2003, amateur-built
- Registration
- CGXGS · no longer on the register · serial 61
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the experimental airplane reported that after a normal landing, during rollout the local air traffic controller advised him that they saw flames or smoke under the fuselage. After coming to a stop, the pilot egressed and dispensed a handheld fire extinguisher, successfully extinguishing a fire that had developed in the area of the front seat. The pilot stated he then saw liquid venting from the main tank vent that was igniting on the ground. Because his fire extinguisher was emptied, he pushed the airplane away from the fire, and by the time emergency response personnel arrived it had extinguished itself. The fuselage sustained substantial damage from the fire. According to the pilot, the fuel system consisted of two wing tanks and a main center tank in the fuselage. When a wing tank is selected for fuel delivery a distributor delivers fuel under constant pressure to the engine and returns excess to the main tank. The pilot stated that he typically switches fuel tanks during flight to manage the level in the main tank, and that landings, and takeoffs are typically performed with the main tank selected and partially full. However, for the accident flight, weather conditions caused an unplanned diversion, and he had to land the airplane with a full main tank. Due to the fuel configuration at the time of the landing, the main tank fuel quantity level was above the vent inlet line and combined with the landing flare attitude, the fuel began to vent. The vent line was located near the engine exhaust stack, and it is likely that high temperature exhaust gasses ignited misted or vaporized fuel as it exited the vent line. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and the accident could have been avoided if the fuel vent was extended to vent into the relative wind at all speeds.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Design
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,342 hours in all; 279 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,118 as pilot in command; 80 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 9, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,091 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2022; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Aerosport Power IO-360-EXP (piston); 81 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Mkt Aerobatics LTD
The flight
- Departed from: SMX Santa Maria CA at 5:50 pm
- Destination: INW Winslow AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 6,052 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from KSBA
Weather report (METAR): KSBA 021853Z 22005KT 9SM -RA SCT015 OVC050 13/09 A2993 RMK AO2 RAB38 SLP136 P0000 T01330089 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 8, 2023. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 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.