Posted for "DaveG" :

Bryan, Great memory. Only things I could add are: the plane was in Hoyt's
hanger, and there was also a very large PVC structure that was covered with
clear "plastic"enclosing the entire plane to keep the paint and dust from
messing up the hanger. Which is as nice as his plane was. The fuel had been
transferred from the left side to the right. The fuel cap was just sitting on
the filler port, not closed. There was also some mention of a solvent being
used to wipe and help cut the clear coat. The flash point of this solvent was
very very low. This all came to a bad end.
So your comment that the plane did not just "blow up" would seem to be most
correct. It had lots of help.
All that being said guys and gals, being there and seeing the situation it
wasn't hard to see how it could happen. Experience can be a very hard
teacher.

PS Hoyt wasn't there when this happened, and no one was hurt.

Dave Gilliam owner of remains.

> To say the airplane "blew up" is not correct. Hoyt Flemming had a
> beautiful Lancair ES. He had taken the airplane back to the painter to
> do some final touch up work. I think the project was to smooth out the
> paint line transitions where the accent stripes and the main white color
> would meet.
>
> After all of the sanding the painter blew the dust off of the wings
> using a high pressure air nozzle. The static buildup from the sanding
> discharged over the open fuel tank filler. The tanks had been drained
> leaving only vapor. The "flash" ended as soon as it started. But the
> wing was damaged.
>
> The real problem started where the fuel lines connect to a bulk head
> fitting between the wing root and the fuselage. No body noticed but a
> small fire had started and burned the side of the fuselage, through the
> unibid carbon structural member, and smoke damaged the interior.
> Attention was given to the wing and the flash and the small fire
> continued to smolder for several minutes unnoticed.
>
> The wing could have been replaced and the smoke damage repaired. But
> because the "Uni" was burned the airplane became a constructive total
> loss and was sold as salvage.
>
> It was truly a tragedy! Certainly avoidable. But it involved
> circumstances that nobody had ever considered before. A perfect example
> of how we all can make it a lesson for future builders.
>
> Bryan
> N132BB