Incident Overview
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing through 1,000 feet, the pilot detected the smell of smoke in the cockpit. After attempting to contact air traffic control to arrange a return for landing, the pilot shut down the electrical system. The pilot reported seeing flames emanating from the instrument panel and stated that the smoke worsened. An emergency landing was executed at Richmond International Airport.
Evacuation and Damage
Upon landing, the pilot evacuated the aircraft on the runway. By the time the fire was extinguished, the interior of the aircraft and the instrument panel had been destroyed by fire and heat.
Inspection Findings
Subsequent inspection of the aircraft revealed a cracked fuel line that ran to the fuel flow indicator on the instrument panel. The crack was located in the area of the cabin light rheostat.