Narrative:

Approximately 40 mi from cmi flight was level at 6000' when the left battery temperature warning light illuminated for approximately 2 seconds. I immediately turned battery #1 off and called for the emergency checklist. First officer performed the checklist. All remained normal for another 2 mins when the battery temperature warning reilluminated and remained on. I told first officer to declare an emergency to cmi approach. We were given a straight in visibility to runway 22. First officer advised cmi station to advise company dispatch of our emergency. Cmi approach requested amount of fuel and passenger on board. First officer and I conferred with each other and decided to evacuate/evacuation the aircraft on the runway via the main cabin door. First officer then briefed the passenger as to the situation. We performed a flaps 1 landing with a shutoff and feather on the runway. First officer evacked the cabin and I directed the passenger to the awaiting van. Before towing the aircraft I opened the battery compartment to determine if the battery was over-temping. It did not appear so the aircraft was removed from the runway. It was my judgement with the battery temperature light remaining on through the landing, to not endanger the passenger lives with a possible battery explosion and so evacked on landing. Supplemental information from acn 155461: I evacked the passenger through the rear exit door while the captain shutdown and secured the aircraft. I believe an internal malfunction in the battery caused the problem, as the mechanics determined the battery did not overheat.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT GOT A BATTERY OVERHEAT WARNING DURING CRUISE AT 6000'. FLT CREW SHUT OFF THE BATTERY AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND EVACUATED THE ACFT AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: APPROX 40 MI FROM CMI FLT WAS LEVEL AT 6000' WHEN THE LEFT BATTERY TEMP WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOR APPROX 2 SECS. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED BATTERY #1 OFF AND CALLED FOR THE EMER CHKLIST. F/O PERFORMED THE CHKLIST. ALL REMAINED NORMAL FOR ANOTHER 2 MINS WHEN THE BATTERY TEMP WARNING REILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ON. I TOLD F/O TO DECLARE AN EMER TO CMI APCH. WE WERE GIVEN A STRAIGHT IN VIS TO RWY 22. F/O ADVISED CMI STATION TO ADVISE COMPANY DISPATCH OF OUR EMER. CMI APCH REQUESTED AMOUNT OF FUEL AND PAX ON BOARD. F/O AND I CONFERRED WITH EACH OTHER AND DECIDED TO EVAC THE ACFT ON THE RWY VIA THE MAIN CABIN DOOR. F/O THEN BRIEFED THE PAX AS TO THE SITUATION. WE PERFORMED A FLAPS 1 LNDG WITH A SHUTOFF AND FEATHER ON THE RWY. F/O EVACKED THE CABIN AND I DIRECTED THE PAX TO THE AWAITING VAN. BEFORE TOWING THE ACFT I OPENED THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT TO DETERMINE IF THE BATTERY WAS OVER-TEMPING. IT DID NOT APPEAR SO THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RWY. IT WAS MY JUDGEMENT WITH THE BATTERY TEMP LIGHT REMAINING ON THROUGH THE LNDG, TO NOT ENDANGER THE PAX LIVES WITH A POSSIBLE BATTERY EXPLOSION AND SO EVACKED ON LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 155461: I EVACKED THE PAX THROUGH THE REAR EXIT DOOR WHILE THE CAPT SHUTDOWN AND SECURED THE ACFT. I BELIEVE AN INTERNAL MALFUNCTION IN THE BATTERY CAUSED THE PROB, AS THE MECHS DETERMINED THE BATTERY DID NOT OVERHEAT.

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