Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Janesville, Wisconsin 53545
Saturday, April 20, 1985 21:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON APRIL 20,1985 AT APPROX. 2100HRS LOCAL TIME A BEECHCRAFT MODEL E185 N68Y OWNED AND OPERATED BY BLACKHAWK AIRWAYS INC. WAS CONDUCTING A NORMAL RUNUP IN PREPARATION FOR A FLIGHT FROM JANESVILLE, WI. (JVL) TO CHICAGO IL. (ORD). AT THE COMPLETION OF THE OF THE RUNUP,BUT PRIOR TO TAKING THE RUNWAY FOR TAKEOFF FIRE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE VICINITY OF THE LEFT ENGINE. AFTER ADVISING THE JANESVILLE CONTROL TOWER OF THE PROBLEM AND REQUESTING ASSISTANCE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO BLOW THE FIRE OUT AND AFTER BEING UNSUCCESSFUL, SECURED BOTH ENGINES AND EEXITED THE AIRCRAFT ALONG WITH HIS PASSENGER. THE FIRE WAS ESTINGUISHED BY AIRPORT FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT ASSISTED BY UNITS OF THE BELOIT, WI. FIRE DEPT. SOURCE OF FIRE APPEARS TO BE FROM A FUEL LINE, BUT EXACT SOURCE UNDETERMINED DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2120
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City JANESVILLE
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53545
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 4
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2127 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID JVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 808
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 2181
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 20 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2232
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29688
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N68V
NTSB Number CHI85FA170
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model E18S
Aircraft Series Identifier E18S
Aircraft Serial Number BA-282
Certified Max Gross Weight 9300
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 3 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 11134
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name J. RICHARD WIXOM
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1243 BOYNTON COURT
Operator City JANESVILLE
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 53545
Operator Code BAKA
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 Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2120
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City CHICAGO
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --