A mechanic had removed a defective fuel boost pump in the right wing (Tank 3-Main–accessed from the underside of the wing) in order to repair or replace it. Before the fuel pump could be replaced, a fuel truck arrived and proceeded to fuel the aircraft. The fuel poured out of the hole created by the absent fuel pump. When the fueler became aware of the massive pool of fuel under the plane, he decided to drive the fuel truck away, which ignited the pool of fuel under the wing. Fire trucks arrived to extinguish the fuel, but the fire had by then caused permanent damage to the wing. Subsequently, the DC-7B was sold to Gus Conner (t/a F. A. Conner), who partly scrapped it and stored the remains in his storage yard, adjacent to the airport.