Beech 58P accident near Boise, Idaho, January 2, 2002
On January 2, 2002 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N132Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boise, Idaho (Boise Air Terminal (Gowen Fld) airport). It was a flight test 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
Improper clearance between an alternator wire and a pneumatic line and fuel fumes. The alternator wire chafe and arcing were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2002 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Boise, Idaho · Boise Air Terminal (Gowen Fld) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N132Z · no longer on the register · serial TJ-284
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff for an after maintenance test flight, the pilot noted a fire in the left engine. The pilot reduced power and landed the aircraft on the remaining runway without further incident. The engine and systems were shut down prior to the pilot and passenger evacuating the aircraft. Fire personnel responded and applied a small amount of foam on the engine, which was at the time, only smoking. Inspection of the engine revealed that the fire was contained to the accessory section of the engine. Heat distress was found to the outboard nacelle web assembly and the top wing skin under the nacelle was warped. Further inspection found that an electrical arc in the alternator wiring due to chafing against a pneumatic tube was responsible for the ignition of the fire. Accumulated fuel vapor from a fuel cell leak that was an on-going maintenance discrepancy for approximately three weeks preceding the accident, and eventually fixed, was most probable the source of the fuel.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,701 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 3,763 as pilot in command; 1,033 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 15, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,083 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 14, 2001; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,240 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-WB3F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOI Boise ID at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10R, 9,763 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
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.