# Accident 20171204023509A: Beech A36, Rio Oso, CA, December 4, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 4, 2017, 07:20 local time
- Place: Rio Oso, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9495° N, 121.4902° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9495&lon=-121.4902&mi=10
- Aircraft: N251E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N251E-2019-11-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 6,100 total, 250 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR18LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA043) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171204023509A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MCLELLAN AIRPORT (MCC) EN-ROUTE TO MARYSVILLE (MRV).  PREFLIGHT, ENGINE START, TAXI/TAKEOFF WERE NORMAL.  ENROUTE TO MARYSVILLE, PILOT REPORTED THAT APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES SOUTH OF MARYSVILLE, HE NOTICED A LIGHT FLICKER BELOW HIS SEAT.  UPON FURTHER CHECKING, HE NOTICED A FIRE HAD STARTED BELOW HIS SEAT AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS RISING.  AT THIS POINT HE LOOKED FOR AN OPEN FIELD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING.  HE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED.  THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A PLOWED FIELD AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET FROM TOUCHDOWN AND ROTATED APPROXIMATELY 150 DEGREES TO THE LEFT.  THE PILOT EGRESSED FROM THE AIRCRAFT WHEN IT STOPPED.  HE TOOK THE AIRCRAFT MANITENANCE RECORDS WITH HIM.  UPON EXITING THE AIRCRAFT, THE COCKPIT INTERIOR BURST INTO FLAMES CAUSING SIGNIFICANT BURN DAMAGE TO THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS. WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON DESCENT TO LAND, A LOCAL DUCK HUNTER SAW THE AIRCRAFT AND CALLED 911.  A FIRE TRUCK WAS DISPATCHED AND ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE ON-SCENE POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT FIRE DAMAGE TO THE COCKPIT AREA.  THE LOWER FUSELAGE WAS DISTORTED FROM THE LANDING GEAR UP LANDING. THERE APPEARED TO BE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT PRIMARY STRUCTURE. THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS WERE INSPECTED AND THE AIRCCRAFT HAD A CURRENT ANNUAL INSPECTION.  THERE WERE NO ENTRIES IN THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION LEADING TO THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED BY THE NTSB FOR REMOVAL BY AN AIRCRAFT SALVAGE COMPANY.

## 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 WPR18LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA043), Dec 4, 2017: Beech A36 (N251E), Rio Oso, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: An in-flight fire due to electrical arc corrosion of the fuel line.

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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