Beech C33 accident near Richmond, Virginia, November 10, 1989
On November 10, 1989 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Beech C33, registered N4897J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Richmond, Virginia (Richmond Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
CRACKED FUEL FLOW INDICATOR FUEL LINE WHICH ALLOWED FUEL TO COME IN CONTACT WITH ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHICH RESULTED IN A FIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 1989 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond, Virginia · Richmond Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C33
- Registration
- N4897J · no longer on the register · serial CD1079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 1,000 FEET, THE PLT BEGAN TO SMELL SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT ATC TO RETURN TO LAND, THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. HE STATED THAT HE SAW FLAME COMING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THAT THE SMOKE WORSENED. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE AT THE RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE PLT EVACUATED THE ACFT ON THE RWY AND THE INTERIOR TO THE ACFT AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE AND HEAT BY TIME THE FLAMES WERE EXTINGUISHED. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED A CRACKED FUEL LINE WHICH RAN TO THE FUEL FLOW INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THIS LINE WAS CRACKED IN THE AREA OF THE CABIN LIGHT RHEOSTAT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 7,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Cartersville VA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 16, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.