In-flight electrical system fire.

Attributes
ACN	131791
Time
Date	198912
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gad
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 19 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 4
ASRS Report	131791
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Had just purchased a used small aircraft XXXX, with a new factory rebuilt engine installed. En route to tcl on arwy before bhm at about 10 NM southwest of gadsen airport, the electrical system emits a crackling noise, fails sporadically, interrupts communication units and all electrical navigation gear, and smoke is smelled in cabin. Approach was notified of the need to land immediately due to the condenser and alternator literally burning up. Condenser and alternator were later found to be black, sooty and fried. Condenser attached to alternator was opened, leaking oil, which ignited and shorted, or oil went into alternator causing a fire of electrical nature. Made emergency landing at gadsen without transmitter, electrical gear, no flaps without incident. Immediately shutting off alternator switch by pilot, turning off electrical gear stopped smoke. Instituted increase in speed and descent as per flight manual and put out fire in alternator. Called bhm tower on ground to have him contact atl approach because radios would not work to cancel IFR flight plan.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INFLT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE.

Narrative: HAD JUST PURCHASED A USED SMA XXXX, WITH A NEW FACTORY REBUILT ENG INSTALLED. ENRTE TO TCL ON ARWY BEFORE BHM AT ABOUT 10 NM SW OF GADSEN ARPT, THE ELECTRICAL SYS EMITS A CRACKLING NOISE, FAILS SPORADICALLY, INTERRUPTS COM UNITS AND ALL ELECTRICAL NAV GEAR, AND SMOKE IS SMELLED IN CABIN. APCH WAS NOTIFIED OF THE NEED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY DUE TO THE CONDENSER AND ALTERNATOR LITERALLY BURNING UP. CONDENSER AND ALTERNATOR WERE LATER FOUND TO BE BLACK, SOOTY AND FRIED. CONDENSER ATTACHED TO ALTERNATOR WAS OPENED, LEAKING OIL, WHICH IGNITED AND SHORTED, OR OIL WENT INTO ALTERNATOR CAUSING A FIRE OF ELECTRICAL NATURE. MADE EMER LNDG AT GADSEN WITHOUT XMITTER, ELECTRICAL GEAR, NO FLAPS WITHOUT INCIDENT. IMMEDIATELY SHUTTING OFF ALTERNATOR SWITCH BY PLT, TURNING OFF ELECTRICAL GEAR STOPPED SMOKE. INSTITUTED INCREASE IN SPD AND DSCNT AS PER FLT MANUAL AND PUT OUT FIRE IN ALTERNATOR. CALLED BHM TWR ON GND TO HAVE HIM CONTACT ATL APCH BECAUSE RADIOS WOULD NOT WORK TO CANCEL IFR FLT PLAN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.