# NTSB NYC00IA131: Beech BE-58, N9044V, Windsor Locks, CT, May 9, 2000 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: May 8, 2000, 21:37 local (May 9, 2000, 02:37 UTC) - Place: Windsor Locks, CT - Location: 41.9298° N, 72.6580° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Windsor Locks, CT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9298&lon=-72.6580&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 6, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49138 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC00IA131 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49138/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00IA131 ## Probable cause Inadequate screw length information provided by the manufacturer, which allowed an inadvertent installation of a holding screw that was too long, and the subsequent fracture of the switch/circuit breaker. Factors included a short circuit of the beacon motor, and the location of the holding screw position within the electroluminescent panel. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, climb - electrical system,circuit breaker - fractured - maintenance,adjustment - inadvertent, company maintenance personnel - information insufficient, manufacturer (cause) - electrical system,circuit breaker - shorted (cause) - acft/equip,inadequate design, manufacturer (contributing factor) - electrical system,electric motor - shorted (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot smelled smoke after takeoff. He returned to the airport, landed, and taxied to the ramp. During the postflight inspection, the rotating beacon power wire was found to be burnt, the entire length of the airplane. The initiating event was suspected to be a failed beacon motor, which then initiated a short circuit; however, it was not positively confirmed. Further inspection revealed that a holding screw for the electroluminescent panel had contacted the rotating beacon switch/circuit breaker, and fractured the switch. The switch/breaker was attached to a solid buss bar behind the panel, and the screw position was directly below the toggle portion of the switch. The manufacturer's parts catalog called for the use of a specific screw, but did not give a dash number for the screw's length. ## Factual narrative On May 8, 2000, at 2137 Eastern Daylight Time, a Beech BE-58, N9044V, operated by U.S. Check, suffered minor damage from an electrical fire, shortly after departing Bradley International Airport (BDL), Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, between Bradley and Stewart International Airport (SWF), Newburgh, New York. The cargo flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 135. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot smelled smoke after takeoff. The airplane returned to Bradley, landed, and taxied to the ramp. During the postflight inspection, the rotating beacon power wire was found to be burnt, the entire length of the airplane. Further inspection revealed that a holding screw for the electroluminescent panel had contacted the rotating beacon switch/circuit breaker, and fractured part of the unit. The switch function was determined to still operate properly, but the circuit breaker had failed. The initiating event was suspected to be a failed beacon motor, which then initiated a short circuit; however, it was not positively confirmed. The switch/breaker was attached to a solid buss bar behind the panel, and the screw in question was one of five used to hold the panel in place. Each of the four other screws was located at a corner of the panel, while the fifth screw was located directly below the toggle portion of the switch. The Beechcraft Illustrated Parts Catalog called for the use of an AN5158632R screw, but did not give a dash number for the screw's length. The FAA inspector submitted safety recommendations to the FAA Recommendation and Quality Assurance Division, AAI-200, for a fleetwide inspection of existing switches, for the manufacturer to revise the parts catalogue to reflect screw length, and for the manufacturer to move the screw position on future airplanes. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9044V](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9044V), registered now, S/N TH-216, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech BE-58 - Registry model: [Beech 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-58) (registry code 1152740) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TH216 - Airframe hours: 11213 - Engines: Continental IO-540 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Airnet System, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 4, 2000, 42 hours before - Departed: BDL - Destination: SWF, NEWBURGH, NY - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: BDL, Bradley International, runway 33, 6,846 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,400 total, 130 in this make and model, 1,370 as pilot in command, 200 in the last 90 days, 85 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 20° at 6 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: BDL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20000508023359I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000508023359I), May 8, 2000: Beech 58, Windsor Locks, CT, Minor damage. (.19)On may 8, 2000, at 2137 EDT, a Beech BE-58, N9044V, operated by U.S. Checks, suffered minor damage from an electrical fire, shortly after departing… 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.