FTW00LA251

NTSB accident investigation · Beech BE58 · Bethany, OK · September 6, 2000

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 6, 2000, 09:52 local (14:52 UTC)
Place
Bethany, OK
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N84DEBeech BE58
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 23, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20000906014679A
Case key
50207

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the fire, which ignited in the engine compartment for undetermined reasons while taxiing.

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.

FireTaxi - from landing
1 engine
Engine compartment - fireCause
Reason for occurrence undeterminedCause

Analysis

The commercial pilot made an uneventful landing and was taxiing the twin-engine airplane off of the runway when the right engine lost power. The pilot restarted the engine; however, the engine soon lost power again. The pilot was attempting a third start when the passenger noticed a fire near the right wing engine compartment. The pilot stated that he pulled the right engine mixture to idle cut-off and continued cranking the engine in an attempt to suck the fire into the intake manifold. The fire continued to burn, and the pilot and passenger exited the aircraft and attempted to find help. The fire extinguished on its own accord. According to the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, and a mechanic, who examined the aircraft after the event, there was no evidence of ruptured fuel lines or loose fittings.

Factual narrative

On September 06, 2000, at 0952 central daylight time, a Beech BE58 twin-engine airplane, N84DE, was substantially damaged when the right wing sustained fire damage while taxiing after landing at the Wiley Post Airport, near Bethany, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Davidson Transport, Inc., of Ruston, Louisiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The local flight originated from the Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that he was flying the airplane to the Wiley Post Airport so the nose radome cover could be painted. The pilot stated that the landing was uneventful, and he was taxiing the airplane off of the runway when the right engine lost power. The pilot restarted the engine; however, the engine soon lost power again. The pilot was attempting a third start when the passenger noticed a fire near the right wing engine compartment. The pilot stated that he pulled the right engine mixture to idle cut-off and continued cranking the engine in an attempt to suck the fire into the intake manifold. The fire continued to burn and the pilot and passenger exited the aircraft and attempted to find help. The fire extinguished on its own accord.

The airplane's fuselage and right wing sustained structural damage as a result of the fire. According to the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, and a mechanic, who examined the aircraft after the event, there was no evidence of ruptured fuel lines or loose fittings.

Numerous attempts to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) from the pilot were unsuccessful.

Aircraft

Registration
N84DE
Reported as
Beech BE58
Category
Airplane
Serial number
TH-1398
Engine
Continental IO-520-C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Positioning · Part 91
Registered owner
Davidson Transport
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
OKC · Oklahoma City, OK
Destination
PWA · OK
Airport
PWA · Wiley Post

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
47
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
4,000 total

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
140° at 12 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
167 °F, dew point 142 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
PWA

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.