- Date
- November 11, 1987, 17:30 local (Nov 12, 1987, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N25SMBeech E18S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report July 10, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871111068039I
- Case key
- 40737
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
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
Shortly after takeoff, and after the landing gear was raised, the pilot noticed an over-temperature of the right engine. A power reduction was made and afterwards symptoms of a compressor stall occurred. The pilot then shut down the right engine. A 180 degree turn was made. During the turn the cockpit filled with smoke with flames visible coming from the right engine area. The right fire bottle was discharged but the fire continued. When the landing gear was lowered the fire extinguished itself. It was found that the snap ring to the right engine oil temperature relief valve was missing. The right engine oil temperature relief valve was found on the floor of the engine nacelle. The rt engine had been replaced 1.8 hours prior to this flt due to FOD. Engine oil had escaped after the relief valve separated. Oil had accumulated in the wheel well, wing and eng nacelle. The oil was ignited, feeding the inflight fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25SM
- Reported as
- Beech E18S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- BA-154
- Airframe hours
- 9,696
- Engine
- P&W PT6-6A, 550 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Union Flights
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- RNO · Reno, NV
- Destination
- SFO · San Francisco, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- runway 34, 8,500 × 0 ft, asphalt
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
- 29
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,964 total · 403 in this make and model · 2,756 as pilot in command · 213 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.