What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft had been holding short of runway 20 for approx. 1.5 minutes, when another aircraft reported a fire in the right wheel well. All three occupants evacuted the aircraft without injuries, and the fire was extinguished by the airport fire and rescue team. A post-accident investigation revealed substantial fire damage to the right wing inboard section. The fire was caused by excessive wheel and brake friction, during a long taxi from the FBO to the takeoff position, due to improper maintenance practices during a recent annual inspection. Specifically, the inner axle spacer was left out, allowing the wheel to ride too FAR inboard, therefore allowing the tire to rub on the wheel fairing and its backing plate, and the brake assembly caliper spacer/insulator was also left out, causing the caliper halves and their respective brake pads to apply too much friction to the brake disk, with the brakes relaxed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN HOLDING SHORT OF RUNWAY 20 FOR APPROX. 1.5 MINUTES, WHEN ANOTHER AIRCRAFT REPORTED A FIRE IN THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL. ALL THREE OCCUPANTS EVACUTED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURIES, AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE AIRPORT FIRE AND RESCUE TEAM. A POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL FIRE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING INBOARD SECTION. THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE WHEEL AND BRAKE FRICTION, DURING A LONG TAXI FROM THE FBO TO THE TAKEOFF POSITION, DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PRACTICES DURING A RECENT ANNUAL INSPECTION. SPECIFICALLY, THE INNER AXLE SPACER WAS LEFT OUT, ALLOWING THE WHEEL TO RIDE TOO FAR INBOARD, THEREFORE ALLOWING THE TIRE TO RUB ON THE WHEEL FAIRING AND ITS BACKING PLATE, AND THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY CALIPER SPACER/INSULATOR WAS ALSO LEFT OUT, CAUSING THE CALIPER HALVES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE BRAKE PADS TO APPLY TOO MUCH FRICTION TO THE BRAKE DISK, WITH THE BRAKES RELAXED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.