Beechcraft A24 N400LE

Summary

On 18 October 2017 at about 14:00 local time, a Beechcraft A24 registered N400LE was involved in an accident near Manteo, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 October 2017 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Manteo, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Dare County Regional (MQI)

Coordinates

35.9231, -75.6958

Aircraft

Beechcraft A24

Registration

N400LE

Category

Airplane

Year built

1971

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Manteo → Manteo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18LA010

1 person was seriously injured.

The failure of maintenance personnel to properly secure wiring during an electrical component installation, which resulted in arcing and smoke in the cockpit. Contributing to the outcome was the flight instructor's failure to attain a proper descent rate during the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after takeoff on the instructional flight, the pilot receiving instruction heard a "pop" sound; the flight instructor saw smoke coming from the right lower portion of the instrument panel and felt a melted wire contact her leg. The pilot receiving instruction continued to fly the airplane briefly, then the flight instructor took the controls. With inadequate runway remaining ahead on which to land, the instructor initiated a turn to return to the runway. The airplane impacted the ground and slid about 500 ft, coming to rest upright and resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. Postaccident examination of the cockpit revealed that electrical wires of a recently-installed avionics switch had arced against the top aft edge of the adjacent autopilot control unit and also at the edge of a vertical support member. The wires did not have circuit protection, nor was there any mechanical protection or supports present along the length of the wires to prevent chafing, contrary to FAA guidance. The pilots' failure to secure the electrical system from memory in response to the cockpit smoke would not have mitigated the hard landing, but may have decreased the smoke in the cockpit and lessened the urgency to land.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.