# Accident 20000131005049A: Beech D50E, Myrtle Beach, SC, January 31, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 31, 2000, 16:27 local time
- Place: Myrtle Beach, SC
- Airport: Myrtle Beach Afb
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.6903° N, 78.8903° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6903&lon=-78.8903&mi=10
- Aircraft: N14VU, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N14VU) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech D50E (registry code 1152522, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d50e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming GO-480 series (registry code 41527, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-go-480-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH D50E
- Reported engine: LYC IO720*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 18,000 total, 500 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA079) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000131005049A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF PRIOR TO FLIGHT. ON START THE LEFT THERE WAS A LIGHT BACK FIRE.  THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TAXI AND NOTICED THE TOP OF THE LEFT INGINE NACELLE TURNING BROWN.  THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO THE RAMP.  AFTER SHUTDOWN THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND WENT OF THE LEFT WING WERE HE OBSERVED FUEL VENTING FROM THE LEFT WING FUEL VENT AND A FIREWAS IN PROGRESS.  THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED.  THE FIRE CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAMGE TO THE LEFT WING SKIN AND STRUCTURE.  NO INJURIES.                    (.4) ON JANUARY 31, 2000, ABOUT 1627 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH D50E, N14VU, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, EXPERIENCED A FIRE AT THE LEFT WING WHILE TAXIING TO TAKEOFF AT MYRTLE BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT-RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER LANDING FOLLOWING A 4.8 HOUR BLOCK TIME FLIGHT, ALL FOUR FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED. H E PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT TO THE AIRPLANE AND STARTED BOTH ENGINES WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. WHILE TAXIING TO TAKEOFF HE PERFORMED A FLIGHT CONTROL CHECK OF THE AILERONS AND WHILE LOOKING AT THE LEFT AILERON, HE NOTED DISCOLORATION OF THE PAINT ON THE UPPER WING SURFACE OUTBOARD OF THE ENGINE NACELLE. HE REQUESTED FIRE RESCUE ASSISTANCE FROM THE GROUND CONTROLLER AND TAXIED TO AN OPEN AREA OF THE RAMP, WHERE HE SECURED THE AIRPLANE. AFTER EXITING THE AIRPLANE HE NOTED FIRE AT THE OUTBOARD FUEL TANK VENT WHICH WAS LEAKING FUEL. HE DISCHARGED A HAND HELD FIRE EXTINGUISHER HE OBTAINED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND NEARLY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE AIRPORT FIRE RESCUE THEN RESPONDED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE USING ONLY WATER. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT REPORT, VENTED FUEL IGNITED BY EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CITED AS THE "PRELIMINARY CAUSE" OF THE FIRE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA00LA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA079), Jan 31, 2000: Beech D50E (N14VU), Myrtle Beach, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The on-ground fire caused by fuel flowing out the fuel vent and near the exhaust of the left engine resulting in the on-ground fire and substantial damage to the airplane. A finding in the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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