Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 37; Flight Crew Total 100; Flight Crew Type 17.8
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
I was cleared to transition underneath JFK's Class B Airspace; along the shoreline below 500 feet. while flying a westerly heading; I encountered wake turbulence from a plane landing on Runway 04R. Roughly 30 seconds before the encounter; I was cleared to climb; not leaving me adequate time to climb above the turbulence. The wake we experienced was stronger than expected. It shook our plane and dislodged the battery onboard my aircraft. I first noticed the acidic smell and shortly after observed smoke in the cockpit. I decided that I would need to land the plane immediately at JFK. After contacting Kennedy Tower; I got clearance to land on [Runway] 13R. Once acknowledging my clearance; I informed the Tower that I was shutting down my battery to prevent the fire from expanding and that we may lose further communication. We made a safe return to the airport and I stopped the plane on Taxiway P. I shut the motor down and deplaned my passengers. [Ground personnel] put out the fire and towed the plane to the FBO. Both myself and my passengers were evaluated by medical staff and were thankfully unscathed.
Light aircraft pilot reported experiencing smoke in the cockpit when the battery was dislodged by a wake turbulence encounter.