Beech C-99 incident near Salem, Oregon, May 15, 2001
On May 15, 2001, a Beech C-99, registered N992AF, suffered minor damage in an incident near Salem, Oregon. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A short to electrical wiring while in cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2001 · cases in 2001
- Place
- Salem, Oregon · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C-99 · all C-99s on the register
- Registration
- N992AF · registry record · serial U-203
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while in cruise flight at 9,000 feet and in instrument meteorological conditions, he smelled a burning order, then observed a flame coming from the main circuit breaker panel on the right side. While the pilot was talking to air traffic control, the flame extinguished leaving smoke in the cockpit. The pilot diverted to a nearby airport and landed without further incident. Maintenance personnel found that a 1/4 inch hole had burned through the circuit breaker panel surface fascia. The fire was apparently caused by an internal short in the backlighting panel immediately under the fascia panel. The backlight panel contains numerous small-gage wires and grain-of-wheat light bulbs. The malfunction did not draw sufficient current to trip a circuit breaker.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,670 hours in all; 430 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,560 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 6, 2001; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-36 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDX Portland OR
- Destination: RBG Roseburg OR
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N992AF on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft C-99 54 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W PT6A-36 2,218 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Portland International · departed from
- Roseburg Regional · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,862 since 1982 · 277 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,012 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA01IA093.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.