Inspection Detail

Inspection: 123379109 - Reebaire Aircraft, Inc

Inspection Information - Office: Little Rock Area Office

Investigation Summary

Employee #1 and two coworkers were working on a leak in the left fuel tank in the left wing of an aircraft. After placing a patch over the hole they poured a sealant containing methyl ethyl ketone into the tank to seal the hole. The coworkers left the area while Employee #1 continued the sealing operation by using an electric hair dryer to speed up the drying process. Shortly thereafter, an explosion occurred and the aircraft caught on fire. The blaze was extinguished by the aircraft maintenance crews in the hangar. Employee #1 suffered severe burns over 75 percent of his body. He was flown by helicopter to the local hospital, where he died several days later.

Keywords: BURN, LEAK, AIRCRAFT, MEK, REPAIR, FLAMMABLE LIQUID, WORK RULES, FIRE, EXPLOSION, JET FUEL