Beech B95-B55 accident near Glendale, Arizona, June 1, 1991
On June 1, 1991 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Beech B95-B55, registered N14SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO SECURE THE FUEL CAP DURING HIS PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. AS A RESULT, FUEL LEAKED OUT OF THE WING TANK ONTO THE WING AND IGNITED DURING THE ENGINE START PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1991 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B95-B55 · all B95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N14SC · registry record · serial TC-720
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED HE DID NOT ENSURE THAT THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING FUEL CAP HAD BEEN LOCKED FOLLOWING REFUELING. WHEN THE PILOT AND HIS PILOT RATED PASSENGER WERE ON THEIR TAKEOFF ROLL THE PASSENGER OBSERVED FUEL SPILLING ON THE RIGHT WING. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE TO ALLOW THE PASSENGER TO SECURE THE CAP. WHEN THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS RESTARTED AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE OCCURRED ON THE RIGHT WING. THE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRPLANE WITH ITS ENGINE RUNNING. WHEN THE AIRPLANE STARTED ROLLING TOWARD BYSTANDERS AND PARKED AIRPLANES, THE PILOT GRABBED ONTO ITS TAIL AND REDIRECTED IT INTO A POLE.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 681 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 610 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 16,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:30 pm from GEU, 1 miles away
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.
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 LAX91LA235.