Narrative:

Flight was originally late due to a WX delay. Approximately 10 mins into the flight from iad to isp the first officer noticed a burning smell from the cabin. We both looked back and did not notice anything unusual. Approximately 1 min later a passenger came up and tapped me on the shoulder and pointed up at the cabin lighting above seat 2A. There was smoke and a small flame coming from the area above seat 2A. We immediately followed our QRH procedures. After that was done I got up out of my seat and visually inspected the overhead above seat 2A. There was no flame or smoke anymore and the area above seat 2A was not hot or even warm to the touch. We then declared an emergency and landed at iad uneventfully and the passenger were deplaned safely and unharmed. During the arrival briefing we discussed whether or not to evacuate/evacuation. We decided not to because the fire was inspected by myself and confirmed out and continued to stay out for the remainder of the flight. It is my understanding that there are 2 different wiring system for the cabin lighting in the J32. If a bulb is placed in the wrong system there is a possibility for a short. In my opinion the aircraft should have had only one type of system if maintenance knew of this problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. FIRE IN CABIN LIGHTING FIXTURE. FLC FOLLOWED EMER PROCS, DECLARED AN EMER AND THE FIRE WENT OUT. THEY LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. RPTR CAPT SAYS, BECAUSE THE ACFT CAN HAVE 2 DIFFERENT WIRING SYS, INSTALLATION OF THE WRONG LIGHT BULB COULD CAUSE A SHORT. JETSTREAM 32.

Narrative: FLT WAS ORIGINALLY LATE DUE TO A WX DELAY. APPROX 10 MINS INTO THE FLT FROM IAD TO ISP THE FO NOTICED A BURNING SMELL FROM THE CABIN. WE BOTH LOOKED BACK AND DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL. APPROX 1 MIN LATER A PAX CAME UP AND TAPPED ME ON THE SHOULDER AND POINTED UP AT THE CABIN LIGHTING ABOVE SEAT 2A. THERE WAS SMOKE AND A SMALL FLAME COMING FROM THE AREA ABOVE SEAT 2A. WE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED OUR QRH PROCS. AFTER THAT WAS DONE I GOT UP OUT OF MY SEAT AND VISUALLY INSPECTED THE OVERHEAD ABOVE SEAT 2A. THERE WAS NO FLAME OR SMOKE ANYMORE AND THE AREA ABOVE SEAT 2A WAS NOT HOT OR EVEN WARM TO THE TOUCH. WE THEN DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED AT IAD UNEVENTFULLY AND THE PAX WERE DEPLANED SAFELY AND UNHARMED. DURING THE ARR BRIEFING WE DISCUSSED WHETHER OR NOT TO EVAC. WE DECIDED NOT TO BECAUSE THE FIRE WAS INSPECTED BY MYSELF AND CONFIRMED OUT AND CONTINUED TO STAY OUT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE 2 DIFFERENT WIRING SYS FOR THE CABIN LIGHTING IN THE J32. IF A BULB IS PLACED IN THE WRONG SYS THERE IS A POSSIBILITY FOR A SHORT. IN MY OPINION THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE HAD ONLY ONE TYPE OF SYS IF MAINT KNEW OF THIS PROB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.