Definition
A fire caused by the failure of an electrical component, typically resulting from a short circuit, overloaded wire, or arcing in the aircraft's wiring or electrical equipment. It is usually first detected by the smell of burning insulation or smoke from behind the instrument panel, and is addressed by removing electrical power from the affected circuit or the entire electrical system.
Plain English
A fire that starts because something in the airplane's wiring or electrical equipment overheats, sparks, or burns. The first sign is usually the smell of hot or burning plastic, and the way to stop it is to cut off the electricity feeding it.
Context Anchor
A pilot may encounter this term in emergency procedures for smoke, a burning smell, visible flames, or failing electrical equipment in flight or on the ground.
Why Pilots Care
Electrical fires require immediate isolation of electrical power to stop smoke production and prevent loss of instruments and controls.
Grounding Statement
If the fire is being caused or fed by electricity, removing the electrical power is usually a major part of stopping the problem.
Intuition Check
Do not think of an electrical fire as just a normal fire that happens to be near the panel. The electrical source matters: leaving power on, using the wrong extinguisher, or ignoring a burning electrical smell can make the situation worse.
Example Sentence 1
When the pilot smelled burning insulation and saw smoke near the radio stack, she ran the electrical fire checklist and turned the master switch off.
Example Sentence 2
The preflight inspection revealed melted insulation near a circuit breaker, indicating a previous electrical fire that had gone unnoticed.