Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Washington, District Of Columbia 20041
Saturday, July 2, 1988 13:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT EXPERIENCED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT WHICH HE STATED CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE TRIM TAB SWITCH BECAME INOPERATIVE, THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BECAME 'HEAVY' AND THE WX RADAR CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED EVEN THOUGH THE RADAR WAS OFF. THE PLT STATED THE SMOKE EVENTUALLY STOPPED AND HE CONTINUED TO THE DESTINATION AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT INSIDE THE RIGHT WING, NEAR THE ROOT SECTION, THE WIRES FOR THE NAV LITE, STROBE LITE, AND FUEL QUANTITY TRANSMITTER SHORTED AND BURNED. THE WIRES WERE NEXT TO A FUEL VENTLINE THAT HAD BEEN CHANGED. REVIEW OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT ABOUT 3 YRS AGO A RADAR POD AND RADOME WERE INSTALLED WHICH INVOLVED ROUTING OF WIRES THROUGH THE AREA WHERE THE SHORTED WIRES WERE LOCATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER MAINTENANCE RESULTING IN THE ROUTING OF WIRE WHICH CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND INFLIGHT SMOKE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/2/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WASHINGTON
Event State DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20041
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1400 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 5112
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 8 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39761
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6286U
NTSB Number BFO88IA065
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T210R
Aircraft Series Identifier T210R
Aircraft Serial Number 21064930
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Nov 23 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 234
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH E. BUTLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11 HARBOR ROAD NORTH SHORE
Aircraft Owner City REHOBOTH
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19971
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 GED
Departure City GEORGETOWN
Departure State DE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IAD
Destination City WASHINGTON
Destination State DC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --