Summary
On July 06, 1994, a Meyers Aircraft Co. ME 200 (N7MV) was involved in an accident near Chico, CA. The accident resulted in 2 minor injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: A SEPARATION OF THE EXHAUST PIPE FROM THE CABIN HEAT CONTROL VALVE AND THE LACK OF INSULATION ON ELECTRICAL WIRING BETWEEN THE AMMETER AND THE AVIONICS BUS.
On July 6, 1994, at 1145 hours Pacific daylight time, the pilot of a Meyers ME 200 aircraft, N7MV, experienced an in-flight fire shortly after departing the airport at Chico, California. The pilot returned to the airport and, after landing, he and his passenger jumped from the aircraft due to smoke and fire in the cockpit. The aircraft received substantial fire damage. The pilot and his passenger received minor injuries.
The examination of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left exhaust pipe from the engine had broken in two. The break was at the aft end of the pipe where the exhaust shroud/muff connects to the cabin heat control valve. Examination of the burned wires showed some patches of insulation remaining.
This accident is documented in NTSB report LAX94LA283. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N7MV.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A SEPARATION OF THE EXHAUST PIPE FROM THE CABIN HEAT CONTROL VALVE AND THE LACK OF INSULATION ON ELECTRICAL WIRING BETWEEN THE AMMETER AND THE AVIONICS BUS.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On July 6, 1994, at 1145 hours Pacific daylight time, the pilot of a Meyers ME 200 aircraft, N7MV, experienced an in-flight fire shortly after departing the airport at Chico, California. The pilot returned to the airport and, after landing, he and his passenger jumped from the aircraft due to smoke and fire in the cockpit. The aircraft received substantial fire damage. The pilot and his passenger received minor injuries.
The examination of the aircraft by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the left exhaust pipe from the engine had broken in two. The break was at the aft end of the pipe where the exhaust shroud/muff connects to the cabin heat control valve. Examination of the burned wires showed some patches of insulation remaining. However, a large electrical wire between the electronic volt/ammeter and the avionics bus was completely void of any insulation. The pilot indicated no electrical problems and the logbooks revealed no electronic maintenance had been accomplished for some time.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX94LA283