M20P DEPARTING PDK ENCOUNTERS INFLT SMOKE AND OR FIRE. DECLARES EMER; LANDS AT PDK; EVACUATES ACFT AND IS ARRESTED.
Synopsis
M20P DEPARTING PDK ENCOUNTERS INFLT SMOKE AND OR FIRE. DECLARES EMER; LANDS AT PDK; EVACUATES ACFT AND IS ARRESTED.
Narrative
JUST AFTER RETRACTING THE LNDG GEAR AND BEING XFERRED OVER TO DEP; A PAX OBSERVED THICK WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE R SIDE OF THE CTR CONSOLE OF THE ACFT. I SWITCHED FREQS TO PEACHTREE TWR AND DECLARED AN EMER AND STATED MY INTENTION TO LAND ON THE NEAREST SUITABLE RWY; RWY 16. ALL NON ESSENTIAL ELECTRICAL SYS WERE TURNED OFF AND THE GEAR AND FLAPS EXTENDED MANUALLY. AFTER ENSURING ACFT WAS IN A SAFE CONFIGN FOR LNDG; SMOKE WAS BEGINNING TO DIMINISH AND WE ROLLED OUT NEAR TXWY E. I CHANGED TO GND FREQ; ANNOUNCED AN INTENTION TO GO TO THE NW RAMP AND EVACUATED THE AIRPLANE. MY PAX EXITED; I SHUT DOWN THE REMAINING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS; IGNITION AND FUEL AND EXITED THE ACFT WHERE IT CAME TO A STOP ON TXWY B; NEAR THE NW RAMP. THE DEKALB FIRE DEPT RESPONDED AND WE ENSURED THE ELECTRICAL AND FUEL SYS OF THE ACFT WERE SHUT DOWN; THEN PROCEEDED TO OPEN INSPECTION PANELS TO ENSURE NO FIRE WAS PRESENT. AFTER SECURING THE ACFT; I GAVE MY NAME; PHONE NUMBER; ADDRESS AND OTHER IDENTING INFO TO THE DEKALB COUNTY OFFICIAL. I REENTERED THE AIRPLANE TO DOUBLE-CHK THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WAS RELEASED SO THE ACFT COULD BE RELOCATED. A WOMAN APCHED ME AND WITHOUT IDENTING HERSELF; DEMANDED THAT I GIVE HER MY PLT'S LICENSE. I DECLINED AND SAID THAT I NEEDED TO USE THE PHONE TO CALL THE FAA REPRESENTATIVES IN THE CTL TWR; THAT I HAD JUST DECLARED AN EMER. SHE ALLOWED ME TO PROCEED; BUT SAID SHE WAS CALLING A POLICE OFFICER; OR A SUPVR. I SAID THAT WAS FINE. FBO EMPLOYEES RELOCATED THE AIRPLANE AND I WAS FOLLOWING IT ACROSS THE NW RAMP TO SECURE IT. I CONTINUED UNTIL A WOMAN GRABBED ME AND SAID SHE HAD BEEN CALLING MY NAME. THIS LADY WAS A POLICE OFFICER; WHO WAS GRABBING ME AND GRABBING AT MY ARMS. I STOPPED AND FACED HER. SHE SAID SHE HAD CALLED ME; BUT I HAD NOT HEARD HER ON THE OPEN ARPT RAMP. SHE SAID IT WAS HER INTENTION TO ARREST ME. I WAS CUFFED AND TAKEN TO A PATROL CAR. I SAID NOTHING AND COOPERATED WITH THE POLICE. I WAS RELEASED ON $200 BAIL FOR VIOLATION OF GEORGIA CODE SECTION 16-10-25; GIVING A FALSE NAME. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT A MECH HAD RECENTLY REPLACED A HEATER HOSE; WHICH MADE CONTACT WITH THE ACFT'S EXHAUST; CREATING SMOKE WHICH WAS DIRECTED INTO THE ACFT'S VENTILATION SYS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.