# NTSB CEN23LA194: Beech 35-C33A, N63B, Indianola, MS, May 18, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 18, 2023, 08:17 local (13:17 UTC) - Place: Indianola, MS - Coordinates: 33.483824, -90.678747 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4838&lon=-90.6787&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 192214 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA194 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192214/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192214 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA194 ## Probable cause An in-flight fire for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 35-C33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000/cases.md?model=1151410), [All aircraft, 63 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Fire/smoke (non-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 35-C33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md?model=1151410), [All aircraft, 504 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/150/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095); cases with it: [Beech 35-C33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=1151410), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that before the flight he completed an engine runup with no anomalies noted. After departure, when the airplane was about 800 to 1,000 ft above ground level, he smelled “burning plastic” and observed smoke from the engine compartment. He turned back toward the airport and was on the base leg of the traffic pattern when he observed flames coming through the firewall under the battery box area. He tried to kick out the flame, but the fire seemed to be coming from the engine side of the firewall. He turned off the electrical system and adjusted the mixture control to cut off the fuel. He performed a gear-up landing on the runway as the cabin filled with smoke. After the airplane came to rest and the pilot egressed, the fire consumed a majority of the fuselage before it was extinguished. The pilot recorded a video of the airplane that showed dark smoke in the cabin and heat discoloration below the front right windscreen, near the battery box. The postaccident examination was unable to determine the source of the fire due to the extensive fire damage. ## Factual narrative On May 18, 2023, at 0817 central daylight time, a Beech 35-C33A, N63B, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Indianola Municipal Airport (IDL), Indianola, Mississippi. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated that he had flown the airplane more than 6 hours in the week before the accident. On the day of the accident flight, an engine runup was completed with no anomalies noted. After departure, when the airplane was about 800 to 1,000 ft above ground level, the pilot smelled “burning plastic” and observed smoke from the engine compartment. He turned the airplane back toward IDL and was on the base leg of the traffic pattern when he observed flames coming through the firewall under the battery box area. He tried to kick out the flame, but the fire seemed to be coming from the engine side of the firewall. He turned off the electrical system and adjusted the mixture control to cut off the fuel. The pilot performed a gear-up landing on the runway as the cabin filled with smoke. After the airplane came to rest and the pilot egressed, the fire consumed a majority of the fuselage before it was extinguished. The pilot recorded a video of the airplane on the runway after he egressed. Figure 1 is a still image from the video that shows dark smoke in the cabin and heat discoloration below the front right windscreen, near the battery box. Figure 1. The airplane on the runway with dark smoke in the cabin and heat discoloration below the front right windscreen, near the battery box. The maintenance records revealed that an annual inspection was completed on August 2, 2022, during which the battery was removed, serviced, and reinstalled, and a defective fuel boost pump was replaced. On February 1, 2023, the throttle and mixture cables were replaced. According to the pilot, they were replaced because the old mixture cable was slipping. After the accident, the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and stated it appeared that the fire had started below the battery box. He could not tell if it originated on the engine side or the cockpit side of the firewall. He removed the end cap from the starter and the internal components did not reveal any anomalies. All of the electrical wiring in the cabin area was burned down to bare copper wire. Also, he found no compromised fuel lines on the engine side of the firewall. He identified one melted fuel line on the cockpit side of the firewall, which was behind the pilot’s (left) side of the instrument panel. Portions of the fuel line had melted around an adjacent avionics wire, which exhibited damage to the outer shielding. Due to the significant fire damage, the inspector was unable to determine the source of the fire. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N63B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N63B-2024-05-10), registration cancelled 2024-05-10, S/N CE-97 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 35-C33A - Registry model: [Beech 35-C33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35-c33a) (registry code 1151410) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CE-97 - Year built: 1966 - Airframe hours: 4841.3 - Engines: Continental Motors IO-550-B 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bradley MacNealy - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, August 2, 2022 - Departed: IDL, Indianola, MS - Destination: STF, Starkville, MS - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: IDL, Indianola Muni, runway 36, 7,004 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; military, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, waiver time limited special; last flight review September 1, 2021; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 8,335 total, 322 in this make and model, 6,584 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: KGLH, 15 nm away - METAR: KGLH 181353Z COR 05004KT 10SM SCT055 23/18 A2992 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20230518009109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230518009109A), May 18, 2023: Beech 35-C33A, Indianola, MS, Destroyed. Pilot reported that he dparted idl runway 36. Upon climb out he smelled platic burning and noticed a fire and mild smoke on the right hand side of the cockpit… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192214. 76.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 7.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15696533&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20(pilot)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� correspondence (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15871573&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MFRs%20(3)-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 64.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15871914&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Logbook%20entries_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 7 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15873829&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.