Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Concord, Arkansas 72523
Friday, August 18, 1989 14:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT/OWNER SAID THAT WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 9000 FT MSL FOR 10,000 FT MSL, ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, HE SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL ODOR. THE CABIN BEGAN TO FILL WITH DENSE SMOKE, SO HE SHUT OFF ALL ELECTRICAL SWITCHES. AN EMERGENCY DESCENT WAS MADE. DURING THE DESCENT, THE SMOKE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY CLEARED FROM THE CABIN. THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED BY USING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. WHILE LANDING ON ROLLING TERRAIN, THE GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. THERE WAS NO CONTINUATION OF FIRE ON THE GROUND. A POST-ACDNT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE OWNER HAD IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AN ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS, WHICH RUBBED ON THE NOISE SUPPRESSOR. AFTER IT RUBBED THRU THE INSULATION, AN ELECTRICAL FIRE ERUPTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS BY THE PILOT/OWNER WHICH RESULTED IN CHAFED WIRING AND A SUBSEQUENT ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE UNEVEN TERRAIN WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CONCORD
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72523
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 887
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40399
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N699T
NTSB Number MKC89LA187
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model V35B
Aircraft Series Identifier V35B
Aircraft Serial Number 9301
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 1250
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GRAEBNER, WALTER D
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT. 2, BOX 260A
Aircraft Owner City EUREKA SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72632
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GRAEBNER, WALTER D.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 2, BOX 260A
Operator City EUREKA SPRINGS
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72632
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 OLV
Departure City OLIVE BRANCH
Departure State MS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ROG
Destination City ROGERS
Destination State AR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --