What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During engine start left engine caught fire followed by explosion in left wing. After inspection left fuel sending unit showed evidence of leakage (stained). (.19) on September 5, 2002, at 1130 central daylight time, a Beech 55, N8821M, registered to west properties and operated by the pilot, left wing exploded as the pilot attempted to start the left engine at Hawkins field in Jackson, Mississippi. The personal flight operated under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the commercial pilot was not injured. The pilot had planned to depart Jackson, Mississippi, with an intended destination of dallas, Texas. According to the pilot, after checking the fuel quantity, he started the engine start procedure. While cranking the left engine, the pilot noticed smoke coming from the left engine cowling. At approximately the same time, flight line personnel also notice the smoke and ran toward the airplane, pointing to the left engine. The pilot stopped the engine start, shut-off the fuel, and exited the airplane.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING ENGINE START LEFT ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE FOLLOWED BY EXPLOSION IN LEFT WING. AFTER INSPECTION LEFT FUEL SENDING UNIT SHOWED EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE (STAINED). (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2002, AT 1130 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH 55, N8821M, REGISTERED TO WEST PROPERTIES AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, LEFT WING EXPLODED AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START THE LEFT ENGINE AT HAWKINS FIELD IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PILOT HAD PLANNED TO DEPART JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF DALLAS, TEXAS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER CHECKING THE FUEL QUANTITY, HE STARTED THE ENGINE START PROCEDURE. WHILE CRANKING THE LEFT ENGINE, THE PILOT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT ENGINE COWLING. AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME TIME, FLIGHT LINE PERSONNEL ALSO NOTICE THE SMOKE AND RAN TOWARD THE AIRPLANE, POINTING TO THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PILOT STOPPED THE ENGINE START, SHUT-OFF THE FUEL, AND EXITED THE AIRPLANE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8821M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.