A DC8F experienced electrical smoke and fire from liquid spill on a cockpit floor electrical heater.

Attributes
ACN	488175
Time
Date	200010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iln.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc tower : bos.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j85.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 96 flight time total : 12726 flight time type : 4029
ASRS Report	488175
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : circuit breaker tripped other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Electrical fire and smoke, resulting from so spilling hot chocolate on floor heating panel. Discovered by large spark and smoke. Problem eliminated by electrical fire and smoke checklist and subsequent smoke evacuate/evacuation checklist. Actions, judgement based on air carrier procedures. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that when the so spilled the hot chocolate into the floor heater, it was a few seconds before the circuit breaker tripped. The reporter said he does not understand how the liquid got into the heater.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC8F EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL SMOKE AND FIRE FROM LIQUID SPILL ON A COCKPIT FLOOR ELECTRICAL HEATER.

Narrative: ELECTRICAL FIRE AND SMOKE, RESULTING FROM SO SPILLING HOT CHOCOLATE ON FLOOR HEATING PANEL. DISCOVERED BY LARGE SPARK AND SMOKE. PROB ELIMINATED BY ELECTRICAL FIRE AND SMOKE CHKLIST AND SUBSEQUENT SMOKE EVAC CHKLIST. ACTIONS, JUDGEMENT BASED ON ACR PROCS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT WHEN THE SO SPILLED THE HOT CHOCOLATE INTO THE FLOOR HEATER, IT WAS A FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPPED. THE RPTR SAID HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE LIQUID GOT INTO THE HEATER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.