A BEECH 99 IN CRUISE AT 9000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO SMOKE AND FLAMES FROM A CB PANEL CAUSED BY A SHORTED CIRCUIT BREAKER BACKGROUND LIGHTING PANEL.

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CRUISING AT 9000 FT I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF RIGHT CB PANEL. 2 SMALL FLAMES CAME OUT OF THE TOP RIGHT CORNER OF THE PANEL; WHERE THE AVIONICS CB ARE LOCATED. KNOWING MY POS. I REQUESTED VECTORS FOR LNDG AND STATED THE PROB. CENTER DROPPED ME DOWN TO 3000 FT AND GAVE ME VECTORS FOR THE LOC-BACK COURSE APCH. DURING MY DSCNT BOTH FIRE AND SMOKE WENT OUT WHICH HELPED ME DECIDE NOT TO TURN OFF THE AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH; CONCERNED THAT I MAY NOT GET THE AVIONICS BACK ON WHILE STILL IMC. ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH INBOUND THE SIT WAS BACK TO NORMAL AND LANDED WITH NO FURTHER COMPLICATIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS A TWIN ENG BEECH 99 IN CARGO CONFIGURATION WITH A SINGLE PLT. THE RPTR SAID IN CRUISE AT 9000 FT SMOKE AND FLAMES APPEARED OUT THE CB PANEL. THE RPTR SAID MAINT FOUND THE CB BACKGROUND LIGHTING PANEL HAD SHORTED OUT BUT HAD NOT TRIPPED THE LIGHTING CB. THE RPTR SAID THE CB PANEL WAS LOCATED ON THE FIRST OFFICERS R HAND SIDE CONSOLE AND OUT OF REACH OF THE PLT FLYING.