ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 34745
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| Date: | Sunday 18 April 1993 |
| Time: | 10:30 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 172I |
| Owner/operator: | Leo G. Stokes |
| Registration: | N8337L |
| MSN: | 17256537 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-E2D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Ettrick, WI -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Monticello, MN (20Y |
| Waukegan, IL (KUGN) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE FIRST SOUNDED NORMAL, AND THEN ITS ENGINE RPM INCREASED, FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSION & SMOKE. THREE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DURING AN UNCONTROLLED VERTICAL DESCENT. ONE STATED THE AIRPLANE EXPLODED APPROX 100 FT ABOVE THE GROUND. ANOTHER STATED HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DESCENDING VERTICALLY, LOSING SIGHT OF IT JUST PRIOR TO OBSERVING FIRE AND SMOKE. THE THIRD STATED HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL, THEN SUDDENLY PITCH DOWN. DURING THE DESCENT, HE OBSERVED GREY SMOKE COMING FROM THE AIRPLANE. A CAN OF TCP FUEL TREATMENT WAS FOUND IN THE BURNT WRECKAGE. THE FILLER NECK AND CAP HAD DISTORTIONS WHICH DID NOT MATCH. TCP IS COMPRISED MAINLY OF TOLUENE, A HIGHLY VOLATILE SUBSTANCE. FUMES FROM A TOLUENE-BASED FLUID SUCH AS TCP COULD EXPLODE DURING THE LIGHTING OF A CIGARETTE. THE CAN WAS KEPT IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT BY THE OWNER. EIGHT PIECES OF WINDSHIELD PLEXIGLASS WERE FOUND AROUND THE IMPACT CRATER; THE REMAINDER OF THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT FOUND.
Probable Cause: AN INFLIGHT EXPLOSION OF A TOLUENE-BASED FLUID INSIDE THE AIRPLANE'S COCKPIT.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB CHI93FA139
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 10-Apr-2024 14:40 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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