Casualties unknown

1984-08-31: Beech 58 (N72TM) — Gibson Aviation — Washington, DC

Washington, DC, US

On August 31, 1984, a Beech 58 (registration N72TM) operated by Gibson Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Washington, DC. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

Pilot performed emergency landing on runway 18 after right engine power loss and subsequent in-flight fire. Investigation revealed fatigue crack in #1 cylinder leading to flame penetration.

Incident

During flight, the pilot experienced a loss of power in the right engine, followed by an in-flight fire. The pilot executed an emergency landing on runway 18, which was conducted without further incident.

Investigation

Post-incident examination of the right engine revealed a crack in the #1 cylinder. The crack originated at the exhaust port, downstream of the valve. It propagated through fatigue to the top spark plug hole. As the crack progressed, the flame path during combustion cycles torched through the cylinder wall near the spark plug hole, which likely contributed to the in-flight fire. The investigation did not identify any other contributing factors or a probable cause beyond the described crack.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001214X40606. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.