- Date
- June 2, 1982, 19:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Asheboro, NC
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N59749Piper PA-31-325
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 69811
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During cruise at 5000 ft the pilot smelled electrical fumes and noticed smoke filling the flap indicator gauge. He pulled the wing flap circuit breaker but moments later volumes of smoke arose from under the instrument panel, with flames observed behind the panel. The pilot diverted to Asheboro after his dry chemical fire extinguisher proved ineffective in fighting the fire. The flames died out after landing. Fire damage was contained to the flap indicator but heat damage precluded a determination of the reason for an internal electrical short. The flap indicator had been modified 216 hrs previously but the mod did not involve the wiring. The flap indicator is protected by the starter circuit breaker. This information is included in the wiring diagrams but not in the descriptions of the flap or electrical systems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59749
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-325
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-7612017
- Airframe hours
- 1,883
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-F2BD, 325 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Clarence Roberts/Roberts Avia.
- Registered owner
- National Estates, Inc.
- Departed
- CLT · Charlotte, NC
- Destination
- Rocky Mount, NC
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 150 in this make and model · 300 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Temperature
- 171 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GSO, 26 nm away