19970410005839A

On final smelled electrical fire and heat on legs. Landed. Fire erupted. Battery cabble shorted at firewall. (-23) on Thursday, April 10, 1997, at approximately 1426, a navion a, N40FL, serial number NAV-4-856, experienced a cockpit fire during taxi after landing at Quincy Municipal Airport (2J9) VFR flight conditions prevailed in the area and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight. The private pilot was the sole occupant and was not injured. The aircraft sustained substantial fire damage to the cockpit, fuselage, right wing, and empennage. The nose wheel also collapsed due to the fire melting and weakening the support structure. The pilot, Mr. John g. brennan, reported the odor of smoke in the cockpit and felt heat on his legs. The pilot reported that the odor resembled wire insulation burning behind the instrument panel. The witness report indicates a probable short circuit behind the right side of the instrument panel. There were direct reading fuel pressure and oil pressure indicators in this immediate location. The hydraulic system master control valve is also directly under the floorboard on the right side in this general area. The fire was further aggravated by high winds and water which was used by ground personnel in an attempt to extinguish the fire. These factors spread rather than extinguished the fire. All identifiable circuit breakers were tripped. The cockpit area including the floor melted due to the intense heat and fire. This was a maintenance test flight on the aircraft following an annual inspection, ground tests, engine run, and high speed taxi. The pilot and mechanic both reported that no avionics, instruments, or other electrical work was performed in the suspected area. Aircraft records, "log books" were destroyed in the aircraft fire. Only the cover of the engine log book and some assorted papers were identifiable. Due to the extent, location and intensity of the aircraft fire, the ignition source of the fire could not be determined.