Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elma, Washington 98541
Wednesday, October 3, 1990 7:49 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE CLIMB TO CRUISE, THE RIGHT ENGINE ICE FAIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. THE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WERE DEPLOYED. THE LIGHT WENT OUT AND THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. AFTER LANDING, AN EXAM REVEALED THE ELECTRICAL WIRE BUNDLES (THAT RAN ALONG THE TOP OF THE RIGHT WING NEAR THE ROOT) HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED THE LEADING EDGE ANTI-ICE, FIRE DETECTION AND ANTI SKID WIRES. IN CERTAIN AREAS, THE WIRES HAD DROOPED BELOW THE LINE OF SCREWS THAT SECURED THE OUTER PANEL AND WERE RUBBING ON THE PANEL. WHEN THIS AREA WAS LAST INSPECTED FOR WIRE DAMAGE, CHAFING, PROPER CLEARANCE AND SUPPORT, THE INSPECTION PANEL WAS NOT REMOVED ENTIRELY. THE MECHANIC THAT PERFORMED THE INSPECTION HAD VIEWED THE WIRE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY ONLY BY LOOKING DOWN AT THE TOP OF THE WIRES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND CHAFING/BURNING OF THE WIRE BUNDLE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 749
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ELMA
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98541
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 749 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BFI
Elevation of weather observation facility 18
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5056
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 3 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1005
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42391
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N226N
NTSB Number SEA91IA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 551
Aircraft Series Identifier 551
Aircraft Serial Number 551-0219
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
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 11
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Sep 10 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 3361
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORDSTROM, JAMES F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1501 5TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City SEATTLE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98101
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 None
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BFI
Departure City SEATTLE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 749
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SFO
Destination City SAN FRANCISCO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --