Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Savannah, Georgia 31401
Friday, April 2, 1982 14:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FLIGHT, ELECTRICAL FUMES, SMOKE AND SPARKS BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL IMMEDIATELY LEFT OF THE PILOT'S SEAT. THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO MOVE TO THE RIGHT SEAT. HE TRIED TO SUPPRESS THE SPARKS WITH A CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND TRIED TO ISOLATE THE SOURCE OF THE ELECTRICAL FIRE, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED AT SAVANNAH, GA. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT FIRE HAD DESTROYED MUCH OF THE WIRING BEHIND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL AND SEVERAL HOLES WERE BURNED THROUGH THE FUSELAGE SKIN. BOTH OVER-VOLTAGE REGULATORS WERE BURNED OUT AND ALL RADIOS AND VOLTAGE REGULATORS WERE DESTROYED. THE BATTERY HAD OVER-HEATED AND SPEWED SMOKE AND FLUID FROM THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL HAD BEEN REINSTALLED WITHOUT A PHENOLIC SPACER ON THE FORWARD SIDE AND WAS BENT INWARD IN THAT AREA. THIS SPACER WAS NEED TO ASSURE SPACE BEHIND THE PANEL. THE FOAM MATERIAL (LINING FOR ADDITIONAL INSULATION) HAD BECOME BRITTLE. A COMPASS SYSTEM AND DME HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON 11/16/81.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/2/1982
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SAVANNAH
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31401
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1555
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SAV
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 73
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5037
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25MA
NTSB Number ATL82IA103
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 In-flight
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31P
Aircraft Serial Number 31P-31
Certified Max Gross Weight 7800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 1934
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NASCAR
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX K
Aircraft Owner City DAYTONA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32018
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NASCAR
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX K
Operator City DAYTONA BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32018
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DAB
Departure City DAYTONA BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code INT
Destination City WINSTON-SALEM
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --