Stanton STAROS SA 260 N540HC

Summary

On 24 November 1998 at about 22:00 local time, a Stanton STAROS SA 260 registered N540HC, operated by Henry F. Coffeen III, was involved in an accident near Marion, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 November 1998 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Marion, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.5706, -98.1390

Aircraft

Stanton STAROS SA 260

Registration

N540HC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Henry F. Coffeen III

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW99LA034

1 person was seriously injured.

The fuel leak for an undetermined reason which resulted in an in-flight fire.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The amateur-built airplane impacted terrain following an emergency bailout by the pilot due to an in-flight fire which erupted during an aerobatic maneuver. The pilot stated that he was executing 'a half outside loop push from inverted with a full roll followed by a snap roll in horizontal flight at the completion of the half loop' and was approaching a near vertical attitude when he was 'splashed with a very significant amount of [fuel].' A fire erupted and the pilot exited the airplane. The pilot reported that he 'suspects a fuel line separated between the main tank and the header tank.' Witnesses reported that his parachute opened at about 250-300 feet AGL. The fuel line between the main fuel tank and the header tank was destroyed by fire. The fuel filler neck was examined at the NTSB Materials Laboratory for preexisting cracks around the fuel filer neck. No preexisting cracks were found.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.