Cessna 551 incident near Elma, Washington, October 3, 1990
On October 3, 1990 at about 2:49 pm local time, a Cessna 551, registered N226N, suffered minor damage in an incident near Elma, Washington. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE ELECTRICAL WIRE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, AND CHAFING/BURNING OF THE WIRE BUNDLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1990 · about 2:49 pm local time
- Place
- Elma, Washington · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 551 · all 551s on the register
- Registration
- N226N · registry record · serial 551-0219
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE CLIMB TO CRUISE, THE RIGHT ENGINE ICE FAIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. THE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WERE DEPLOYED. THE LIGHT WENT OUT AND THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT. AFTER LANDING, AN EXAM REVEALED THE ELECTRICAL WIRE BUNDLES (THAT RAN ALONG THE TOP OF THE RIGHT WING NEAR THE ROOT) HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED THE LEADING EDGE ANTI-ICE, FIRE DETECTION AND ANTI SKID WIRES. IN CERTAIN AREAS, THE WIRES HAD DROOPED BELOW THE LINE OF SCREWS THAT SECURED THE OUTER PANEL AND WERE RUBBING ON THE PANEL. WHEN THIS AREA WAS LAST INSPECTED FOR WIRE DAMAGE, CHAFING, PROPER CLEARANCE AND SUPPORT, THE INSPECTION PANEL WAS NOT REMOVED ENTIRELY. THE MECHANIC THAT PERFORMED THE INSPECTION HAD VIEWED THE WIRE BUNDLE ASSEMBLY ONLY BY LOOKING DOWN AT THE TOP OF THE WIRES.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,361 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 10, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-4 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 2:49 pm
- Destination: SFO San Francisco CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; ovct
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:49 pm from BFI
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.
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.