# NTSB DCA83AA037: Swearingen SA226TC, N503SS, Hot Springs, AR, August 28, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: August 27, 1983, 20:03 local (Aug 28, 1983, 01:03 UTC)
- Place: Hot Springs, AR
- Location: 34.4780° N, 93.0962° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at MEML FLD (HOT), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4780&lon=-93.0962&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15790
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA83AA037
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15790/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA83AA037

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Fire, taxi - to takeoff
  - fuselage,instrument/electrical panel - shorted (cause)
  - fuselage,instrument/electrical panel - arcing (cause)
  - electrical system,electric wiring - arcing (cause)
  - electrical system,electric wiring - contamination (cause)
  - electrical system,electric wiring - fire (cause)
  - oxygen system,crew - burst (cause)
  - fuselage,instrument/electrical panel - fire (cause)
  - fuselage - fire (cause)

## Analysis

TURNING ONTO THE RWY THE COPLT OBSERVED A FLASH BEHIND HIS INST PANEL. HE THEN RECEIVED AN ELECT SHOCK TO HIS RIGHT ARM FROM THE RIGHT CONSOLE. A FIRE THEN ERUPTED AT THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF HIS INST PANEL. THE CREW & PAX EVACUATED THE ACFT. THE INTERIOR OF THE ACFT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE AS WELL AS MOST OF THE UPPER HALF OF THE FUSELAGE. EXAM OF THE RIGHT SIDE WIRE BUNDLE REVEALED NUMEROUS INDICATIONS OF ARCING BETWEEN WIRES & FROM WIRES TO GROUND. ONE WIRE WAS ARCED AT A POINT IN LINE WITH A PLASTIC OXYGEN LINE. THERE WAS ALSO AN OILY RESIDUE INSIDE THE WIRE BUNDLE. A SMALL SECTION OFTHE RIGHT BRAKE PRESSURE LINE EXHIBITED SIGNS OF ELECT ARCING. THE HYDRAULIC SYST PRESS GAGE COPPER LINE ALSO SHOWED SIGNS OF ARCING. THE PLASTIC OXYGEN LINES FROM THE THE COCKPIT SIDE OF THE FORWARD PRESSURE BULKHEAD TO THE COCKPIT OUTLETS HAD BEEN CONSUMED BY FIRE & THE OXYGEN SUPPLY WAS DEPLEATED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N503SS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N503SS-1984-06-21), registration cancelled 1984-06-21, S/N TC-229E (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SWEARINGEN SA226TC
- Registry model: [Swearingen SA226TC](https://openairdocs.org/model/swearingen-sa226tc) (registry code 8780404) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TC-229E
- Engines: AIRESEARCH TPE-331 840 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: Scheduled Skyways Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: FTW, DALLAS, TX
- Destination: LITTLE ROCK, AR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: HOT, Memorial Field, runway 5, 6,595 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 33; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 5,120 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 5,000 as pilot in command, 180 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: HOT, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19830827075539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830827075539A), Aug 27, 1983: Swrngn SA226TC, Hot Springs, AR, Destroyed. Fire began behind right side of the instrument panel. Electrical wires shorted and ignited hydraulic and oxygen sys

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.

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