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PA32 pilot reported diverting to a nearby alternate after experiencing smoke in the cockpit that was later traced to a pitot heat circuit breaker that apparently overheated and failed to open.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1545122 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201805 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001-0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga/6X |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Route In Use | Other Loitering |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Pitot-Static System |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 14 Flight Crew Type 14 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor |
Narrative:
We were at 11;500 feet MSL and the OAT was showing 37 degrees F. We put the pitot heat on just in case icing was possible. We continued to have the pitot heat on for about an hour. We had the instrument lights on; our avionics on; and the appropriate aircraft lights were also on. I saw the lights flicker before I hear a popping noise. The cockpit started to fill up with electrical smoke suddenly. I was sitting in the right seat flying so the other pilot in the left seat turned off all the lights immediately and opened up the storm window. I continued to fly the aircraft and we proceeded to run the electrical fire checklist. After a couple of minutes the cockpit started to clear up. I was already diverting to [a nearby alternate]. We landed the aircraft and had emergency personnel check out the aircraft. Everyone was safe and no one was hurt. The other pilot commented that the smoke seemed to be coming out of the pitot heat circuit breaker. The circuit breaker did not pop during the event. I think the emergency was run by the books and we successfully handled the emergency professionally.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA32 pilot reported diverting to a nearby alternate after experiencing smoke in the cockpit that was later traced to a pitot heat circuit breaker that apparently overheated and failed to open.
Narrative: We were at 11;500 feet MSL and the OAT was showing 37 degrees F. We put the pitot heat on just in case icing was possible. We continued to have the pitot heat on for about an hour. We had the instrument lights on; our avionics on; and the appropriate aircraft lights were also on. I saw the lights flicker before I hear a popping noise. The cockpit started to fill up with electrical smoke suddenly. I was sitting in the right seat flying so the other pilot in the left seat turned off all the lights immediately and opened up the storm window. I continued to fly the aircraft and we proceeded to run the electrical fire checklist. After a couple of minutes the cockpit started to clear up. I was already diverting to [a nearby alternate]. We landed the aircraft and had emergency personnel check out the aircraft. Everyone was safe and no one was hurt. The other pilot commented that the smoke seemed to be coming out of the pitot heat circuit breaker. The circuit breaker did not pop during the event. I think the emergency was run by the books and we successfully handled the emergency professionally.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.