Incident Overview
On 13 November 2014 at 2030 UTC, a Beechcraft 300 Super King Air (registration SE-KOL) was preparing for a ferry flight from Farnborough Airport, Hampshire, to Sweden. During engine start, the flight crew detected an electrical smell in the cabin. The co-pilot left the cockpit to locate the source and reported smoke coming from below the floor aft of the main wing spar.
Emergency Response
The smoke increased, impairing visibility, prompting the commander to declare an emergency and order an evacuation. Fire services arrived promptly and used infra-red equipment to detect a heat source beneath the floor in the area where smoke had been observed.
Investigation Findings
A technician later identified the heat source as the electrical flap motor. Investigation revealed that the flaps had overtravelled, pressing hard against their mechanical up stop. This caused the motor to overheat until its circuit breaker eventually tripped. The motor, limit switch, and flap control relay were all replaced, and the system was re-rigged; however, the repairer could not determine which component was responsible for the overtravel condition.
Aircraft and Crew Details
The aircraft was a 1989 Beechcraft 300 Super King Air (serial number FA-189) powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A turboprop engines. The crew consisted of two pilots, with no passengers on board. No injuries were reported. The commander held an Airline Transport Pilot's Licence, was 38 years old, and had 8,100 total flying hours (3,920 on type), with 95 hours in the last 90 days and 20 hours in the last 28 days.