What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: the pilot stated that on 8-24-96, the aircraft appeared normal from preflight runup through his departure from Bend, at 0910AM. Approximately 15 minutes later on dsd radial 090 at 36 NM the amperage meter went to full positive. Two to three seconds later the instrument cluster began to burn. The cabin began to fill with smoke and fume and the pilot reversed course back to Bend. The aircraft landed at Bend 0930AM. Upon further inspection showed a loose connection at the ground wire terminal causing a possible overload condition to occur through the reverse current relay and an over voltage condition of the aircraft's generator output. This over voltage was supplied to the aircraft electrical and instrument circuits resulting in overheating of the instrument panel and surrounding avionics equipment. This report is closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: THE PILOT STATED THAT ON 8-24-96, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED NORMAL FROM PREFLIGHT RUNUP THROUGH HIS DEPARTURE FROM BEND, AT 0910AM. APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER ON DSD RADIAL 090 AT 36 NM THE AMPERAGE METER WENT TO FULL POSITIVE. TWO TO THREE SECONDS LATER THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BEGAN TO BURN. THE CABIN BEGAN TO FILL WITH SMOKE AND FUME AND THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE BACK TO BEND. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT BEND 0930AM. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED A LOOSE CONNECTION AT THE GROUND WIRE TERMINAL CAUSING A POSSIBLE OVERLOAD CONDITION TO OCCUR THROUGH THE REVERSE CURRENT RELAY AND AN OVER VOLTAGE CONDITION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S GENERATOR OUTPUT. THIS OVER VOLTAGE WAS SUPPLIED TO THE AIRCRAFT ELECTRICAL AND INSTRUMENT CIRCUITS RESULTING IN OVERHEATING OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND SURROUNDING AVIONICS EQUIPMENT. THIS REPORT IS CLOSED.