- Date
- April 3, 1993, 18:15 local (Apr 4, 1993, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Green Bay, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N4167PBeech B-55
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930403008079A
- Case key
- 9204
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
Improper replacement of the right wing by maintenance personnel which resulted in the vapor return lines being reversed, and the auxiliary tank vent to be disconnected.
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
The pilot was leaving Green Bay, Wisconsin for the return flight to Rockford, Illinois. On the preflight inspection, the pilot said he noticed that the right auxiliary tank was overfilled, but did not worry about it. When he attempted to start the right engine, the right wing exploded. The airplane had recently been painted. During the painting process, both wings had been removed and replaced. The investigation revealed the fuel vapor return lines for the main and auxiliary tanks in the right wing had been reversed, and that the vent for the auxiliary tank had been disconnected, allowing the auxiliary tank to vent to the interior of the right wing.
Factual narrative
On April 3, 1993, at 1815 central standard time, a Beech B-55, N4167P, sustained substantial damage when the outboard section of the right wing exploded as the pilot started the right engine. The mishap occurred at Austin Straubel Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot was not injured. The personal flight was originating at Green Bay, with an intended destination of Rockford, Illinois. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The pilot stated he had flown from Rockford, Illinois, to Green Bay using the main fuel tanks. During the preflight inspection for the return trip, he said he noticed that the right auxiliary tank was overfilled. The examination of the wing and fuel system revealed the fuel return lines for the main tank and auxiliary tank on the right wing were reversed. A vent line connection for the right auxiliary tank was found unconnected.
The airplane had been recently painted. Both wings had been removed and replaced during the painting. The airplane had flown three hours since the post-painting inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4167P
- Reported as
- Beech B-55
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TF-23
- Airframe hours
- 10,880
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-L, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Courtesy Aircraft, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 11, 1993 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- GRB
- Destination
- RFD · Rockford, IL
- Airport
- GRB · Austin Straubel 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
- 42
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 75 in this make and model · 4,800 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GRB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.