Cessna 551 N226N

Summary

On 3 October 1990 at about 14:49 local time, a Cessna 551 registered N226N was involved in an incident near Elma, Washington, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 October 1990 at 14:49

Classification

Incident

Location

Elma, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.0997, -123.3891

Aircraft

Cessna 551

Registration

N226N

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Seattle → San Francisco

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA91IA003

Nobody was injured.

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

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.