In-flight fire fatal for two

The pilot and one passenger were on a cross-country flight in the Seawind 3000 amphibian airplane.

The pilot reported to an airport tower air traffic controller that the plane had a low fuel pressure indication and that he planned to fly directly to the airport in Bloomington, Ind.

However, the plane hit terrain about three miles north of the airport, killing both souls aboard.

One witness reported seeing the airplane on fire before it crashed. A post-crash fire consumed most of the composite-frame airplane.

An examination of the engine’s accessories was not performed due to fire and thermal damage. Although the engine sustained fire damage, compression and continuity through the engine drive train was established, and no preimpact abnormalities were noted.

A section of an alternator cable and a section of a fuel line that had signatures consistent with fraying and thermal damage, respectively, were examined to determine if chafing and electrical arcing had occurred between them. However, the examined sections exhibited no evidence of chafing and arcing.

The accident is consistent with an in-flight fire, however the source of the fire could not be determined.

The NTSB determined the probable cause as an in-flight fire for reasons that could not be determined because the examination of the airplane did not reveal the source of the fire.

NTSB Identification: CEN14LA504

This September 2014 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.