Dassault-Breguet FALCON 50 N14CG

Summary

On 18 November 2003 at about 22:00 local time, a Dassault-Breguet FALCON 50 registered N14CG, operated by Tag Aviation, was involved in an incident near Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States. 5 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 November 2003 at 22:00

Classification

Incident

Location

Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States

Nearest airport

Bradley International Airport (BDL)

Coordinates

41.9389, -72.6831

Aircraft

Dassault-Breguet FALCON 50

Registration

N14CG

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Tag Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Windsor Locks → White Plains

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

NYC04IA037

Nobody was injured.

An in-flight fire, originating from electrical arcing, which subsequently created a hole in an oxygen line.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after takeoff, at 500-600 feet AGL, the flight crew noticed smoke in the cabin, declared an emergency, and returned to land without incident. After landing, crash fire rescue extinguished a fire in the overhead paneling of a coat closet, which was located directly behind the cockpit. Examination of the airplane revealed extensive heat damage to the overhead paneling around a closet light fixture in the aircraft cabin. Visual examination of the damaged area revealed that electrical wiring and an oxygen line were installed in close proximity to each other in the area of the light fixture. Additionally, examination of the oxygen line revealed a pin-size hole through the circumference of the line with signatures consistent of electrical arcing. Further examination of the light fixture revealed areas of severe localized heating and melting. Examination of maintenance records revealed two entries in the past 12 months, which described the closet light circuit breaker popping during illumination of the light. This occurred as a result of an electrical arcing between the light assembly and an oxygen line. Both instances included installing Teflon tape to protect interference between the assembly and the oxygen line.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.