- Date
- September 5, 2002, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Jackson, MS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N8821MBeech B-55
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Jackson FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020905024909A
- Case key
- 55783
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The left wing tank fuel quantity transmitter unit was leaking fuel, and the leaking fuel was ignited by engine exhaust during engine start.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While starting the left engine, the pilot noticed smoke coming from the left side of the left engine cowling. At approximately the same time, flight line personnel ran toward the airplane with a fire extinguisher pointing to the left wing, which had caught fire. The pilot aborted the engine start, shut off electrical power, closed the fuel valves, and exited the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed the left wing spar had structural damage and the left wing was fire damaged. Further investigation showed that the left wing fuel tank quantity transmitter had been leaking fuel.
Factual narrative
On September 5, 2002, at 1130 central daylight time, a Beech B-55, N8821M, registered to West Properties and operated by a commercial pilot, caught fire during engine start at Hawkins Field, Jackson, Mississippi. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and visual flight rules, with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the commercial pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
While starting the left engine, the pilot noticed smoke coming from the left side of the left engine cowling. At approximately the same time, flight line personnel ran toward the airplane with a fire extinguisher pointing to the left wing, which had caught fire. The pilot aborted the engine start, shut off electrical power, closed the fuel valves, and exited the airplane. A loud bang was heard and the left wing exploded.
Examination of the airplane revealed the left wing spar had structural damage and the left wing was fire damaged. Further examination showed that the left wing fuel quantity transmitter unit had been leaking fuel. There were also blue fuel stains on the top of the rubber bladder style fuel tank. The maintenance history of the fuel quantity transmitter was not determined. The annual airframe inspection was completed on April 16, 2002, at which time the airframe had accumulated 4307 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8821M
- Reported as
- Beech B-55
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TC-580
- Airframe hours
- 4,307.4
- Engines
- Continental IO-470L, 260 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental IO-470L, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- West Properties
- Registered owner
- J & J Aircraft Sales
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 16, 2002 · 27.4 hours before
- Departed
- HKS · Jackson, MS
- Destination
- Dallas, TX
- Airport
- HKS · Hawkins Field
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- September 3, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,356 total · 20 in this make and model · 1,280 as pilot in command · 66 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- JAN, 7 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8821M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.