What happened
On 12 August 2016, a Cessna 750 Citation X, registration G-CEDK, was preparing for a private flight from Inverness Airport, Scotland. During the initial stages of engine start, specifically after the left engine had been engaged, the flight crew detected a brief smell of burning rubber, which they noted was similar to the scent of tyre smoke from a landing aircraft. As the odor did not persist and no visible abnormalities were observed, the crew continued taxiing toward the departure runway while monitoring the situation.
Upon completing the turn onto Runway 11, both the commander and the co-pilot observed a small amount of pale grey smoke appearing below the instrument coaming level. In response to the smoke, the crew brought the aircraft to a stop. Following a review of the situation, the crew initiated the Emergency Evacuation Drill. Air Traffic Control was notified, and passengers were directed upwind of the aircraft through the main door as the Airport Fire Service arrived on the scene.
The investigation
Following the incident, a post-incident inspection was conducted by the operator's maintenance engineer. This inspection focused on identifying the source of the smoke and the initial odor detected during engine start.