Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beckley, West Virginia 25802
Friday, October 13, 1995 20:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an in-flight fire (behind the right side of the instrument panel), which occurred for undetermined reason(s).

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 10/13/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2010
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BECKLEY
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25802
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5056
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 17 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65SC
NTSB Number BFO96IA012
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-23
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7405445
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 117
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCOPE LEASING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 140 E. TOWN STREET SUITE 1010
Aircraft Owner City COLUMBUS
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43215
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DENCH, EDWARD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 945 OUTER DRIVE
Operator City STATE COLLEGE
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 16801
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code THV
Departure City YORK
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BKW
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --