A beech 99 in cruise at 9000 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to smoke and flames from a ci...

Attributes
ACN	511243
Time
Date	200105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Airliner 99
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 2700 flight time type : 440
ASRS Report	511243
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Company Aircraft FAA
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Cruising at 9000 ft I noticed smoke coming out of right circuit breaker panel. 2 small flames came out of the top right corner of the panel, where the avionics circuit breaker are located. Knowing my position. I requested vectors for landing and stated the problem. Center dropped me down to 3000 ft and gave me vectors for the localizer-back course approach. During my descent both fire and smoke went out which helped me decide not to turn off the avionics master switch, concerned that I may not get the avionics back on while still IMC. Established on the approach inbound the situation was back to normal and landed with no further complications. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane was a twin engine beech 99 in cargo configuration with a single pilot. The reporter said in cruise at 9000 ft smoke and flames appeared out the circuit breaker panel. The reporter said maintenance found the circuit breaker background lighting panel had shorted out but had not tripped the lighting circuit breaker. The reporter said the circuit breaker panel was located on the first officers right hand side console and out of reach of the pilot flying.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BEECH 99 IN CRUISE AT 9000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO SMOKE AND FLAMES FROM A CB PANEL CAUSED BY A SHORTED CIRCUIT BREAKER BACKGROUND LIGHTING PANEL.

Narrative: CRUISING AT 9000 FT I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF RIGHT CB PANEL. 2 SMALL FLAMES CAME OUT OF THE TOP RIGHT CORNER OF THE PANEL, WHERE THE AVIONICS CB ARE LOCATED. KNOWING MY POS. I REQUESTED VECTORS FOR LNDG AND STATED THE PROB. CENTER DROPPED ME DOWN TO 3000 FT AND GAVE ME VECTORS FOR THE LOC-BACK COURSE APCH. DURING MY DSCNT BOTH FIRE AND SMOKE WENT OUT WHICH HELPED ME DECIDE NOT TO TURN OFF THE AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH, CONCERNED THAT I MAY NOT GET THE AVIONICS BACK ON WHILE STILL IMC. ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH INBOUND THE SIT WAS BACK TO NORMAL AND LANDED WITH NO FURTHER COMPLICATIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS A TWIN ENG BEECH 99 IN CARGO CONFIGURATION WITH A SINGLE PLT. THE RPTR SAID IN CRUISE AT 9000 FT SMOKE AND FLAMES APPEARED OUT THE CB PANEL. THE RPTR SAID MAINT FOUND THE CB BACKGROUND LIGHTING PANEL HAD SHORTED OUT BUT HAD NOT TRIPPED THE LIGHTING CB. THE RPTR SAID THE CB PANEL WAS LOCATED ON THE FIRST OFFICERS R HAND SIDE CONSOLE AND OUT OF REACH OF THE PLT FLYING.

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.

A beech 99 in cruise at 9000 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to smoke and flames from a circuit breaker panel caused by a shorted circuit breaker background lighting panel.