# NTSB BFO96IA012: Piper PA-23, N65SC, Beckley, WV, October 14, 1995 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: October 13, 1995, 20:10 local (Oct 14, 1995, 00:10 UTC) - Place: Beckley, WV - Location: 37.7732° N, 81.1615° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Beckley, WV, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7732&lon=-81.1615&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 17, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9097 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO96IA012 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9097/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO96IA012 ## Probable cause an in-flight fire (behind the right side of the instrument panel), which occurred for undetermined reason(s). ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Fire, cruise - normal - fuselage,crew compartment - fire (cause) - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) ## Analysis The pilot stated that the airplane was in level flight, at night, in clouds and light rain, when he saw a '...sudden flash (spark)...' followed by fire from behind the instrument panel on the right side of the cockpit. The pilot reported that he turned the master switch off in an attempt to eliminate the source of the fire. He stated that the cabin filled with smoke, but the fire gradually '...went out, mostly on it's own...' He made an uneventful landing at Beckley, WV. Maintenance personnel reported that fire damage precluded a positive determination of the source of the fire. ## Factual narrative On October 13, 1995, about 2010 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23, N65SC, piloted by the owner/operator, experienced an in-flight fire while operating in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) in cruise flight in the vicinity of Beckley, West Virginia. The fire was extinguished in flight, and the airplane landed at Beckley, West Virginia, without further incident. The airplane sustained minor damage. The commercial pilot and the three passengers reported no injuries. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the destination airport, and the flight operated on an IFR flight plan. The personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from York, Pennsylvania, at approximately 1830. The intended destination was Beckley, West Virginia. The pilot stated that the flight proceeded normally until the airplane was about 45 miles from the destination airport. He reported that the airplane was in level flight at 8,000 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL), in clouds with light precipitation, when there was "...a sudden flash (spark)..." and then a fire behind the right side of the instrument panel. The pilot stated that he declared an emergency with Air Traffic Control (ATC), then turned the master switch off in an attempt to "...stop the source of the fire." The pilot reported that the fire grew and the cabin quickly filled with smoke. He stated that the right front seat passenger moved to a rear seat, away from the fire, and they were able to extinguish part of the fire with the passenger's coat. The pilot reported that the fire gradually "...went out, mostly on it's own..." and he made an uneventful landing at Beckley. Maintenance personnel and Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors performed a postaccident examination of the airplane. They reported that the fire damage precluded a positive determination of the origin of the fire. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N65SC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N65SC), registered now, S/N 27-7405445, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-23 - Registry model: [Piper PA-23-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-23-250) (registry code 7102308) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 27-7405445 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-C4B5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Dench, Edward - Registered owner: Scope Leasing - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: THV, YORK, PA - Destination: BKW - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,765 total, 639 in this make and model, 1,587 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 61 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 19951013037479I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951013037479I), Oct 13, 1995: Piper PA23250, Beckley, WV, Substantial damage. Narrative: while enroute from york, pa to Beckley, WV, Piper aztec N65SC, piloted by edward dench, jr. experienced an in-flight fire and declared an emergency… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.