Cessna 402/402C/B379 Businessliner/Utiliner
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Diverted; General Evacuated
Aircraft
At the time of the incident; I was at 5;000 ft on a downwind being vectored by Approach. I began setting up the ILS and reading the approach plate. I rolled the Captain overhead light switch on. The light did not turn on. I rolled it back thinking I had turned it the wrong way. No light came on. I rolled the Co-Pilot's overhead light on and began reading the approach plate. I began to smell a burning odor. I looked into the beam of the light and saw smoke coming into the cabin. I could not see where it was coming from. I performed Electrical Fire In-flight flow and turned off (gang-bar) the master switch row. The plane was completely dark. I looked up and saw a glow followed by fire flickering in the overhead panel by the Captain's roller switch. It appeared to be getting worse.I powered the master battery on; one radio and a transponder. I declared...'fire in flight' to Approach. I initiated a decent into [divert field] per their recommendation and vector. The fire burned for a minute and extinguished by itself when we were on final. I performed a short field landing and then a ground evacuation through the main cabin door onto the runway. Fire/Rescue and Airport Operations met us immediately and the aircraft was examined by the thermal imaging camera for several minutes after.
C402 pilot reported a fire in the overhead electrical panel that extinguished on final approach to a divert field.