PA31 pilot had a fire in the overhead rear cabin in ZMA class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	564419
Time
Date	200211
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : opf.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmh.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-31P Navajo P
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 1450 flight time type : 850
ASRS Report	564419
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Climbing through 4000 ft, smelled smoke and visually saw fire in aft cabin. Fire was coming out of the ceiling above the emergency exit seat. I immediately began an emergency descent into opa locka, fl, declared an emergency with ZMA. I then shut off all electrical. Fire then spread to the seat below as burnt roofing fell into the seat below. After a safe landing, I extinguished the fire by hand, then evacuate/evacuationed the aircraft. The fire department arrived and ensured the fire was out. I then informed my company and ZMA of what happened and of the outcome. Thankfully, there were no passenger aboard, just one crew. The FAA was notified of the incident and at the time of writing this report, we are awaiting their inspection and approval to ferry the aircraft back to its home base. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the aircraft was equipped with an after market passenger entertainment system. The entertainment system cabin speaker caught fire and ignited the cabin interior headliner. The company has removed all the entertainment system on all aircraft that are flown. The aircraft skin was not damaged, only the headliner and seat cover. The pilot put the fire out by beating on it. It was out when crash fire rescue equipment arrived.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA31 PLT HAD A FIRE IN THE OVERHEAD REAR CABIN IN ZMA CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH 4000 FT, SMELLED SMOKE AND VISUALLY SAW FIRE IN AFT CABIN. FIRE WAS COMING OUT OF THE CEILING ABOVE THE EMER EXIT SEAT. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN AN EMER DSCNT INTO OPA LOCKA, FL, DECLARED AN EMER WITH ZMA. I THEN SHUT OFF ALL ELECTRICAL. FIRE THEN SPREAD TO THE SEAT BELOW AS BURNT ROOFING FELL INTO THE SEAT BELOW. AFTER A SAFE LNDG, I EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BY HAND, THEN EVACED THE ACFT. THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND ENSURED THE FIRE WAS OUT. I THEN INFORMED MY COMPANY AND ZMA OF WHAT HAPPENED AND OF THE OUTCOME. THANKFULLY, THERE WERE NO PAX ABOARD, JUST ONE CREW. THE FAA WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT AND AT THE TIME OF WRITING THIS RPT, WE ARE AWAITING THEIR INSPECTION AND APPROVAL TO FERRY THE ACFT BACK TO ITS HOME BASE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AFTER MARKET PAX ENTERTAINMENT SYS. THE ENTERTAINMENT SYS CABIN SPEAKER CAUGHT FIRE AND IGNITED THE CABIN INTERIOR HEADLINER. THE COMPANY HAS REMOVED ALL THE ENTERTAINMENT SYS ON ALL ACFT THAT ARE FLOWN. THE ACFT SKIN WAS NOT DAMAGED, ONLY THE HEADLINER AND SEAT COVER. THE PLT PUT THE FIRE OUT BY BEATING ON IT. IT WAS OUT WHEN CFR ARRIVED.

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.