Anderson County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anderson, South Carolina 29621
Thursday, March 15, 1990 21:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CRUISING AT 42,000 FEET, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ADUST HIS MAP LIGHT WHEN THE CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED. WHEN THE COPILOT RESET THE BREAKER A FIRE IGNITED AT THE OXYGEN PANEL. THE BLOWTORCH EFFECT CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT INTERIOR AT THE PILOT'S STATION. TWO PASSENGERS WERE HOSPITALIZED FOR SMOKE INHALATION. EXAMINATION OF THE DAMAGED AREA DISCLOSED THAT A WIRE FROM THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY ARCED AND CONTACTED AN OXYGEN SUPPLY LINE. FURTHER EXAMINATION ALSO DISCLOSED LOOSE OXYGEN LINES ADJACENT TO THE ARCING. SUBSEQUENT TO THE MISHAP, LEARJET DEVELOPED A PROTECTION KIT TO PREVENT CONTACT BETWEEN THE OXYGEN LINES AND ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ELECTRICAL ARCING WHICH RESULTED FROM A SHORT IN THE PILOT'S MAP LIGHT CIRCUIT; A CHAFTED WIRE CONTACTED THE OXYGEN SUPPLY LINE AT THE OXYGEN CONTROL PANEL IN THE COCKPIT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE OXYGEN PANEL PLUMBING AND ELECTRICAL WIRING FOR THE PILOT'S MAP LIGHT WHICH ALLOWED CONTACT BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2145
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ANDERSON
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29621
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANDERSON COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AND
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 782
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID AND
Elevation of weather observation facility 782
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1410
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 755
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42723
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N100VQ
NTSB Number ATL90LA080
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LEARJET
Aircraft Model 24
Aircraft Series Identifier 24
Aircraft Serial Number 140
Certified Max Gross Weight 13000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Nov 2 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 10014
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUNCOAST AIR CHARTER & MAINT.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4630 DOUGLAS STREET
Aircraft Owner City TAMPA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33614
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OSU
Departure City COLUMBUS
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 2051
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TPA
Destination City TAMPA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --