Date:	Friday 28 February 2020
Time:	14:15 UTC
Type:	Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Owner/operator:	Nimbus Air Ltd
Registration:	G-FSEU
MSN:	BB-331
Year of manufacture:	1978
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Minor
Category:	Serious incident
Location:	Doncaster-Sheffield Airport, Finningley, Doncaster, South Yorkshire -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Doncaster/Sheffield-Robin Hood Airport (DSA/EGCN)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	AAIB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AAIB investigation to Beech 200 Super King Air, G-FSEU: Smoke in the cabin during climb out, Doncaster-Sheffield Airport, 28 February 2020. the incident was the subject of an AAIB Investigation, and the following is an excerpt from the AAIB Report, published on 14 January 2021:

"Synopsis
While climbing through 8,800 ft after departing Doncaster-Sheffield Airport, the pilots noticed an electrical smell on the flight deck followed by a build-up of grey smoke in the cabin. A MAYDAY was declared and on the approach, the flaps were selected down, but remained in the retracted position. The aircraft landed without further incident.

The smoke was caused by overheating of the flap motor. The flaps UP limit switch had not operated due to wear in the system, and so electrical power continued to be supplied to the motor after the flaps reached the retracted position prior to takeoff. The flap motor Circuit Breaker was found to be intermittent, and had not initially tripped to protect the motor from overload.

History of the flight
Prior to a flight from Doncaster-Sheffield Airport to Wick Airport, the commander checked the flap system by operating the flaps through their full range and visually comparing each position against the flap indicator. The flaps were returned to the retracted (up) position and the aircraft made a flapless take off from Runway 20. As the aircraft climbed through 8,800 ft, the pilots noticed an electrical burning smell in the cockpit and decided to return to Doncaster. There was no obvious source for the smell and none of the circuit breakers (CB) had operated. Grey smoke was then seen in the cabin. The commander declared a MAYDAY to Scottish ATC(C) and requested an ILS approach for Runway 20, while the co-pilot searched for the origin of the smoke in the cabin. However, the source could not be identified.

On the approach to Doncaster, the commander selected the flaps to the approach position but there was no movement. An inspection of the CB panel found that the CB for the flap motor had tripped.

The aircraft made an uneventful landing at Doncaster and was met by the airport Rescue and Fire Fighting Service who used thermal imaging equipment to search for hot spots. A hotspot was detected on the left of the fuselage, below the floor near the centre of the cabin where the flap motor was located. There was no evidence of fire.

Damage Sustained to airframe
Per the AAIB report "Flap motor burnt out". The aircraft was repaired and returned to service, being sold on to the next (5th) owner on 25 January 2023 to Air First LLC of Kalispell, Montana, USA, which caused the registration G-FSEU to be cancelled (and the aircraft to be de-registered by the CAA) on 15 March 2023 as "Transferred to another country or authority - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA"

1. AAIB Report dated 14 January 2021: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fd8a7e68fa8f54d5d655688/Beech_200_Super_King_Air_G-FSEU_01-21.pdf
2. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/G-FSEU.html
3. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/N87LP.html
4. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/N111JW.html
5. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/N111WA.html
6. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/N400WH.html
7. FAA US Registration: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=87LP
8. AirNav RadarBox: https://www.radarbox.com/data/registration/g-fseu
9. G-FSEU For Sale Advertisement: https://www.aircraft.com/aircraft/201140121/g-fseu-1978-beechcraft-king-air-200
9. Doncaster Sheffield Airport: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doncaster_Sheffield_Airport#2016%E2%80%93202

Built 1978. Previously registered in the United States as N111WA, N111JW and N87LP to Flight Solutions Inc of Gallatin, Tennessee. US registration cancelled 8 August 2006. Re-registered in the UK as G-FSEU 9 August 2006 (next day). Between 9 August 2006 and 25 January 2023 passed through the hands of five successive owners (including two spells with Air Mercia Ltd - 9 August 2006 to 15 February 2012 and 27 August 2013 to 10 July 2014). Sold 25 January 2023 to Air First LLC of Kalispell, Montana, USA, which caused the registration G-FSEU to be cancelled (and the aircraft to be de-registered by the CAA) on 15 March 2023 as \"Transferred to another country or authority - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA\". According to a \"for sale\" advertisement for G-FSEU (see link #8): \"Total Airframe Hours : 9,052 Hours Total Landings : 9,830 Cycles\". The is at variance with the CAA aircraft record card, which states that total airframe hours as being \"11,204 at 8 February 2021 [sic]

G-FSEU: Beech B200 of 2Excel Aviation at East Midlands (EMA/EGNX) 30 June 2021:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
29-Sep-2024 19:21	Dr. John Smith	Added
29-Sep-2024 19:22	ASN	Updated [Accident report, ]
30-Sep-2024 07:04	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Source, Narrative, ]