Beechcraft A36 N251E

Summary

On 4 December 2017 at about 15:20 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N251E was involved in an accident near Rio Oso, California, United States. One person was on board and 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

4 December 2017 at 15:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Rio Oso, California, United States

Nearest airport

Yuba County (MYV)

Coordinates

38.9495, -121.4902

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N251E

Category

Airplane

Year built

1981

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sacramento → Marysville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR18LA043

1 person had minor injuries.

An in-flight fire due to electrical arc corrosion of the fuel line.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, he saw flickering from below his seat and that he observed a fire had started when he looked under his seat. He made an emergency landing to an open field and exited the airplane before it burst into flames. The cockpit was thermally damaged, and the airplane sustained substantial damaged to the undercarriage of the fuselage. Examination of the fuel selector valve trim panel with attached wires, a fuel flow valve with fuel lines, and a portion of electrical wiring revealed a pin hole in a fuel line near the fuel selector valve as well as damaged electrical wiring. Damage to the fuel line was consistent with electrical arc corrosion.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.