Beech BE58 accident near Bethany, Oklahoma, September 6, 2000
On September 6, 2000 at about 2:52 pm local time, a Beech BE58, registered N84DE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethany, Oklahoma (Wiley Post airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the fire, which ignited in the engine compartment for undetermined reasons while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2000 · about 2:52 pm local time
- Place
- Bethany, Oklahoma · Wiley Post · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE58
- Registration
- N84DE · registry record · serial TH-1398
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot made an uneventful landing and was taxiing the twin-engine airplane off of the runway when the right engine lost power. The pilot restarted the engine; however, the engine soon lost power again. The pilot was attempting a third start when the passenger noticed a fire near the right wing engine compartment. The pilot stated that he pulled the right engine mixture to idle cut-off and continued cranking the engine in an attempt to suck the fire into the intake manifold. The fire continued to burn, and the pilot and passenger exited the aircraft and attempted to find help. The fire extinguished on its own accord. According to the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, and a mechanic, who examined the aircraft after the event, there was no evidence of ruptured fuel lines or loose fittings.
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: 4,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OKC Oklahoma City OK
- Destination: PWA OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 142°F (61°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from PWA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.