Beech D50E accident near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, January 31, 2000
On January 31, 2000 at about 9:27 pm local time, a Beech D50E, registered N14VU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (Myrtle Beach 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The on-ground fire caused by fuel flowing out the fuel vent and near the exhaust of the left engine resulting in the on-ground fire and substantial damage to the airplane. A finding in the investigation was that all four fuel tanks had been filled before the pilot started the engines for the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 2000 · about 9:27 pm local time
- Place
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina · Myrtle Beach Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D50E · all D50Es on the register
- Registration
- N14VU · registry record · serial DH-326
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after landing, all four fuel tanks were filled. He performed a preflight to the airplane and started both engines with no discrepancies noted. While taxiing to takeoff he performed a flight control check of the ailerons and while looking at the left aileron, he noted discoloration of the paint on the upper wing surface outboard of the engine nacelle. He requested fire rescue assistance from the ground controller and taxied to an open area of the ramp, where he secured the airplane. After exiting the airplane he noted fire at the outboard fuel tank vent that was leaking fuel. He discharged a hand held fire extinguisher he obtained from the airplane and nearly extinguished the fire. The airport fire rescue then responded and extinguished the fire using only water. According to the airport fire department incident report, vented fuel ignited by exhaust manifold was cited as the 'preliminary cause' of the fire.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 17,000 as pilot in command; 658 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,787 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 3, 1999; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MYR at 9:27 pm
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from MYR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA00LA079.