Incident Sequence
As the pilot turned the airplane onto the active runway, he observed white flashes emanating from the engine gauges in the instrument panel. He did not perceive a problem and proceeded with the takeoff roll. After traveling approximately 1,000 feet down the runway, smoke began to enter the cabin. The pilot stopped the airplane and evacuated the passengers. Upon returning to the cabin area, he noticed a fire concentrated in the engine gauge instrument cluster area of the panel. He extinguished the fire, but by the time fire department personnel arrived, the fire had reignited. The cabin area sustained structural damage during the fire.
Investigation Findings
Subsequent investigation found that the wire bundles in the engine gauge area had missing insulation and beading. The engine instrument section was removed for inspection, revealing a pinhole on the steel fuel pressure line. A Safety Board materials specialist examined the fuel pressure line and noted copper material and damage consistent with electrical arcing of a copper wire against another metal surface.
Service Bulletin
The airframe manufacturer issued Service Bulletin SEB98-7 in 1998, which required an inspection of the fuel line between the firewall and fuel flow gauge for abrasion damage. No evidence was found that this service bulletin had been complied with. While the service bulletin was not mandatory, the investigation noted that if it had been addressed, the damage to the fuel line might have been discovered earlier.