GA small aircraft pilot asked for clearance to the nearest suitable airport because of smoke in the ...

Attributes
ACN	161308
Time
Date	199010
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pmd airport : edw
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pmd tower : clt
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v197
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	161308
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Turned on heater, which brought in smoke. Turned it off and decided to land and check it out. Advised edw that I was turning back due to this problem. He asked if I was declaring an emergency. I said, 'no way, it's only smoke.' this was precautionary on my part having just read of a similar incident in 'aviation safety.' edw advised there were 2 runways, one 12 mi and one 20. I said I'd take the closer to save time. He then gave me frequencys. Pmd tower advised they were waiting 'with fire equipment.' I assumed it was a practice drill for them, since I did not have a fire. I had no idea that edw had declared an emergency. There was enough fire and medical equipment to save 2 widebody transport's. This and the fact that he sent us to some military installation did not make my day. I thought that checking the problem was the best thing to do, since I am deeply attached to my life. But a split gasket and oil on the muffler makes you wonder if it was worth the worry. I really feel that I did the right thing, but I wish I had been informed of the extra help. I also wish I had been informed that it was a mis installation. I could have gone somewhere else. I was only following the instructions of flight following. I do think that my answer was clear, since I did not have a fire, but only smoke. The biggest problem has been worrying about what will happen to me because of this. The air force people were great, non-threatening and helpful, but...

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA PLT ASKED FOR CLRNC TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT BECAUSE OF SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. FLT FOLLOWING REQUESTED EMERGENCY GND EQUIPMENT AND DIRECTED THE ACFT TO PMD. PLT IS WORRIED THAT THIS WILL CAUSE HER PROBLEMS.

Narrative: TURNED ON HEATER, WHICH BROUGHT IN SMOKE. TURNED IT OFF AND DECIDED TO LAND AND CHK IT OUT. ADVISED EDW THAT I WAS TURNING BACK DUE TO THIS PROB. HE ASKED IF I WAS DECLARING AN EMER. I SAID, 'NO WAY, IT'S ONLY SMOKE.' THIS WAS PRECAUTIONARY ON MY PART HAVING JUST READ OF A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN 'AVIATION SAFETY.' EDW ADVISED THERE WERE 2 RWYS, ONE 12 MI AND ONE 20. I SAID I'D TAKE THE CLOSER TO SAVE TIME. HE THEN GAVE ME FREQS. PMD TWR ADVISED THEY WERE WAITING 'WITH FIRE EQUIP.' I ASSUMED IT WAS A PRACTICE DRILL FOR THEM, SINCE I DID NOT HAVE A FIRE. I HAD NO IDEA THAT EDW HAD DECLARED AN EMER. THERE WAS ENOUGH FIRE AND MEDICAL EQUIP TO SAVE 2 WDB'S. THIS AND THE FACT THAT HE SENT US TO SOME MIL INSTALLATION DID NOT MAKE MY DAY. I THOUGHT THAT CHKING THE PROB WAS THE BEST THING TO DO, SINCE I AM DEEPLY ATTACHED TO MY LIFE. BUT A SPLIT GASKET AND OIL ON THE MUFFLER MAKES YOU WONDER IF IT WAS WORTH THE WORRY. I REALLY FEEL THAT I DID THE RIGHT THING, BUT I WISH I HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE EXTRA HELP. I ALSO WISH I HAD BEEN INFORMED THAT IT WAS A MIS INSTALLATION. I COULD HAVE GONE SOMEWHERE ELSE. I WAS ONLY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS OF FLT FOLLOWING. I DO THINK THAT MY ANSWER WAS CLR, SINCE I DID NOT HAVE A FIRE, BUT ONLY SMOKE. THE BIGGEST PROB HAS BEEN WORRYING ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO ME BECAUSE OF THIS. THE AIR FORCE PEOPLE WERE GREAT, NON-THREATENING AND HELPFUL, BUT...

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.

GA small aircraft pilot asked for clearance to the nearest suitable airport because of smoke in the cockpit. Flight following requested emergency ground equipment and directed the aircraft to pmd. Pilot is worried that this will cause her problems.