On August 15, 1995, a Beech 55 (registration N1685W) was involved in an aviation accident near Mansfield, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the inflight and postimpact fire due to a short circuit in the main power distribution cable. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a training flight, two flight instructors observed smoke from behind the instrument panel after landing gear extension. The aircraft landed, slid, and was destroyed by fire; a short circuit was found in the main power cable.
Event Description
Two certified flight instructors were conducting a recurrency training flight. After completing the airwork portion, they proceeded to perform instrument approaches. The pilots reported that everything was normal during the VOR approach to runway 14, after which they circled to land on runway 32. As the pilot-in-command extended the landing gear, he noticed whitish/gray smoke emanating from behind the instrument panel. He immediately retracted the gear and completed the landing on runway 32. Upon touchdown, the airplane slid approximately 2,000 feet down the asphalt runway and was subsequently destroyed by fire.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed a short circuit in the main power distribution cable routed behind the instrument panel. No further details were provided regarding the origin or specifics of the short circuit.