Beech U-8F accident near Goodland, Kansas, June 17, 2021
On June 17, 2021 at about 1:05 am local time, a 1962 Beech U-8F, registered N62069, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Goodland, Kansas (Renner Fld /Goodland Muni/ airport). It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Maintenance personnel’s inadequate inspection of the airplane, which failed to detect and correct chafed electrical wiring and a degraded fuel bladder with holes, which resulted in ignition of fuel vapor and a right wing explosion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2021 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Goodland, Kansas · Renner Fld /Goodland Muni/ · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech U-8F, built 1962
- Registration
- N62069 · registry record · serial 62-3866
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot heard a loud bang while starting the right engine and noticed flames exiting the right wing. An airport surveillance camera captured a wing explosion that lasted about 1 second, which substantially damaged the right wing. Examination revealed that the right wing outboard aft fuel bladder was brittle, with several holes due to age-related oxidation, and electrical wiring to the navigation lights was chafed in two locations, with evidence of electrical arcing. Review of maintenance records indicated that the airplane was inspected about 50 hours before the accident; the inspection included checking the fuel tanks for leakage, and electrical wiring for chafing. Based on the condition of the fuel bladder and wiring, it is likely that the most recent inspection was inadequate. About 2 years before the accident, the airplane’s left wing exploded due to ignition of fuel vapor. Following the most recent wing explosion accident, the operator instituted several maintenance protocols to aid in detection of a fuel leak, including top-off of the fuel system in conjunction with the wing inspection procedure checklist or unscheduled fuel system maintenance.
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
What happened, in order
- Explosion (non-impact) during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Maintenance provider
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel sys wiring › Inadequate inspection
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,210 hours in all; 477 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 2,096 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 28, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,624 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 20, 2021; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 20,890 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 20,890 hours total
- Operator: Bemidji Aviation Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: GLD Goodland KS
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KGLD
Weather report (METAR): KGLD 170053Z AUTO 19006KT 10SM CLR 31/11 A3001
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N62069 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN21LA274.