Incident Narrative
According to the pilot, smoke was observed emanating from the defroster vent on the passenger side shortly after takeoff and during the initial climb. While turning downwind, the smoke intensified and developed into a fire. The smoke, combined with a charred windshield, severely limited visibility, prompting the crew to open the passenger door and the pilot's window. This action caused the fire to burn more intensely. After landing and coming to a full stop, the pilot exited the aircraft. The fire was subsequently extinguished by personnel from the local fixed-base operator (FBO). Notably, the aircraft was not equipped with a fire extinguisher.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident investigation revealed that the hot wire from the ammeter had been rubbing against the fuel pressure indicator line. This rubbing caused the wire to short and burn through, which led to an in-flight fire in the cockpit area. Additionally, the aircraft was overdue for its annual inspection and had accumulated approximately 234 hours of flight time since its last inspection.