AZTEC PLT IN IMC HAS COCKPIT FIRE DUE TO FAULTY CIRCUIT BREAKER.

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SPARK AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE. THE INST PANEL FIRE IGNITED FOAM AND LEATHER PAD ON STRUT THAT HOLDS DASH (USED TO HOLD ON TO WHEN COPLT SEAT MOVED FORE AND AFT). THIS BURNED LIKE A TIRE; GIVING OFF BLACK SMOKE THAT BURNED EYES. AFTER EMER DECLARED; PWR OFF; FIRE PUT OUT; USED SIDE WINDOW FOR BREATHING UNTIL SMOKE CLRED. ABLE TO ACQUIRE 2 COM RADIOS FOR CONTINUED COM AND LNDG AT BECKLEY UNEVENTFUL. RECOMMEND THAT AZTEC'S FOAM PAD AS DESCRIBED BE REMOVED FROM ALL ACFT SINCE IT REPRESENTS A HAZARD TO BREATHING IF A FIRE STARTS FOR ANY REASON. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE LEATHER PAD IS ACTUALLY TO KEEP ONE FROM BUMPING ONE'S HEAD GETTING OUT OF THE ACFT. HE IS GIVING TALKS AT FAA SAFETY SEMINARS AND SUGGESTS THAT ANY AZTEC OWNER WOULD DO WELL TO REMOVE THE PAD AND TAKE A CHANCE WITH A BUMPED HEAD. THE SPARK OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A BAD CIRCUIT BREAKER. THERE IS NO WAY TO TEST THE CIRCUIT BREAKER AND HE PREDICTS THERE WILL BE MORE SUCH INCIDENTS AS THE AZTECS AGE. HIS WAS A 1974 MODEL. THE VACUUM LINES WERE DAMAGED SO THOSE INSTS WERE LOST. HE COMMUNICATED TO ATC AND THEN TURNED ALL ELECTRICAL OFF TO ELIMINATE FEEDING THE FIRE. HE WAS UNAWARE THAT THE FUEL GAUGES HAVE A FUEL LINE DIRECTLY TO THEM. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE CONCERNED HAD HE KNOWN BECAUSE THE FIRE WAS SO HOT IT COULD HAVE BURNED RIGHT THROUGH THE COPPER LINES. POOR DESIGN. HE WILL WRAP THOSE LINES WELL WITH ASBESTOS WHEN THE ACFT IS REPAIRED. THE SMOKE WAS INTENSE AND BURNED THE EYES BADLY. HE OPENED THE WINDOW TO RELIEVE THE CABIN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ONCE THE FIRE WAS OUT. HIS FLASHLIGHT WAS OF NO USE IN THE SMOKE; BUT HIS RED LIGHT ALLOWED HIM TO SEE SOME OF THE INSTS WHEN HE TURNED ELECTRICAL BACK ON. THE FLT WAS IMC AT NIGHT AND HE FEELS THE ONLY WAY THEY SURVIVED WAS THAT HE DETERMINED NOT TO TOUCH THE CTLS. HE DID DSND FROM 8000 FT TO 5500 FT BUT DETERMINED TO GO NO LOWER IN THE AREA BECAUSE OF TERRAIN. HE HAD HOPED TO BREAK OUT. HE WAS 40 MI FROM BECKLEY ARPT AND HAD SET INSTS FOR AN APCH. CFR DID NOT COME TO HIM; HE HAD TO TAXI TO WHERE THEY WERE.