Zulumike
PA-32R-301T, BE36
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2016
- Messages
- 200
- Reaction score
- 53
My general question is “should fire sleeve be used in the engine compartment to wrap engine analyzer instrumentation wire on a turbo charged 540 saratoga?” The reason is we (My A&P and I) completed a first flight after a new engine install with a new JPI 830. We flew 2 hours and had some squawks. But on gear deployment for landing, we had smoke in the cockpit and upon landing a fire in the engine compartment. I have not seen the aircraft since the fire was put out and meet with the FAA (NTSB rep) Tuesday. Root cause is not known at this time, but none of the new avionics wire was wrapped in fire sleeve. The fire looks as if it started above the turbo where instrumentation wire was routed. I am wondering if the wire might have melted, shorted, and when the nose gear door opened created a draft that took smoldering wires and turned them into a fire. Unfortunately it has taken almost a year to get the aircraft back in the air and now this. But no one was hurt and this would have had a different outcome if this occurred at altitude.
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