What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) Before departing on a scheduled passenger flight, a flight attendant noticed an electrical odor in the airplane's rear section. She advised the first officer, who consulted a mechanic. The mechanic found nothing wrong, and the flight departed a short time later. While en route, a flight attendant reported an electrical odor in the same area. After an investigation by the captain, the odor diminished, and the rear cabin temperature was lowered. Shortly after this action, smoke and fire were visible in the floor and side wall area. The captain declared an emergency and diverted to an alternate airport. During approach to the airport, the fire was extinguished, then an uneventful landing was made. Examination of the burned area revealed an audio-entertainment system cable had become shorted. Burning had resulted in minor damage to the airplane. Further investigation revealed that the cable had not been properly installed, and that the STC did not provide specific instructions for cable routing, except that it should be placed under a seat rail cover. (-23) see narrative #CHI97IA041.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) BEFORE DEPARTING ON A SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHT, A FLIGHT ATTENDANT NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL ODOR IN THE AIRPLANE'S REAR SECTION. SHE ADVISED THE FIRST OFFICER, WHO CONSULTED A MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC FOUND NOTHING WRONG, AND THE FLIGHT DEPARTED A SHORT TIME LATER. WHILE EN ROUTE, A FLIGHT ATTENDANT REPORTED AN ELECTRICAL ODOR IN THE SAME AREA. AFTER AN INVESTIGATION BY THE CAPTAIN, THE ODOR DIMINISHED, AND THE REAR CABIN TEMPERATURE WAS LOWERED. SHORTLY AFTER THIS ACTION, SMOKE AND FIRE WERE VISIBLE IN THE FLOOR AND SIDE WALL AREA. THE CAPTAIN DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. DURING APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, THEN AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING WAS MADE. EXAMINATION OF THE BURNED AREA REVEALED AN AUDIO-ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM CABLE HAD BECOME SHORTED. BURNING HAD RESULTED IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE CABLE HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED, AND THAT THE STC DID NOT PROVIDE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR CABLE ROUTING, EXCEPT THAT IT SHOULD BE PLACED UNDER A SEAT RAIL COVER. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #CHI97IA041.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.