# Incident 20260330002839I: Piper PA-20, Waterford, MI, March 30, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 30, 2026, 18:18 local time
- Place: Waterford, MI
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.7023° N, 83.4027° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Waterford, MI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7023&lon=-83.4027&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6996K (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-20
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260330002839I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

INCIDENT AT PONTIAC, MI (PTK) ON 03/30/2026 @ 2218Z. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PA20 S/N 20-92 DECLARED EMERGENCY DUE TO SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. ACFT WAS IN THE PATTERN HEADING EAST. PILOT MADE AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT TURN AND LANDED MIDFIELD AT RWY 27R BEFORE VEERING OFF SURFACE TO THE RIGHT. PILOT EVACUATED ACFT. EMERGENCY VEHICLES ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE. POST-LANDING INSPECTION REVEALED EVIDENCE OF ELECTRICAL FIRE IN LOWER AREA OF COCKPIT. PILOT WAS TAKEN FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND TREATED FOR BURNS TO THE LEFT FOOT AND LEG. THE ACFT WAS QUARANTINED AT A PTK COUNTY HANGAR OVERNIGHT. NTSB NOTIFIED OF PILOT AND AIRCRAFT STATUS. IIC AND ASI INSPECTED AIRCRAFT ON 03/31/2026 @ 0830. INSPECTION FOUND IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF ALTERNATOR WIRING. PILOT/^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INTERVIEW ON 04/01/2026 REVEALED FIRST TEST FLIGHT AFTER ANNUAL AND INSTALLATION OF UPGRADED 0-320 ENGINE. PILOT WAS EXECUTING THIRD TOUCH AND GO AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES OF FLIGHT AND NOTICED ALTERNATOR LIGHT FLASHED AND FLAMES STARTED AT PILOTS LEFT SIDE PANEL. DECLARED EMERGENCY AND RECEIVED CLEARANCE TO LAND. PILOT SHUT BATTERY MASTER OFF AND EXECUTED IMMEDIATE RIGHT TURN LANDING ON 27R MIDFIELD. AFTER EXITING AIRCRAFT PILOT RETURNED AND SHUT ENGINE DOWN. LEFT FOOT BANDAGED DUE TO BURNS. NTSB DECLARED INCIDENT A NON-ACCIDENT AFTER REVIEW OF PHOTOS AND INVESTIGATION RESULTS.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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