Narrative:

Everything on this flight appeared normal until just after takeoff power was set and airspeed indicator approached 50 mph. At that point the INS panel light circuit breaker popped. Takeoff was aborted and tower was informed. Tower offered assistance which I declined saying we had only lost INS panel lighting. INS panel lights had been on maximum intensity. Tower informed me there was no traffic and I could hold my position on runway 21 if so desired, which I did. Circuit breaker was reset after INS panel rheostat was set to minimum. It remained set. Overhead flood lights were set at minimum. Overhead map lights which are not very bright were turned on. By this time my eyes had become accustomed to the dawn light and I determined I could see all INS adequately. With 6000' of runway remaining tower cleared me for takeoff. Just prior to takeoff power application I handed a flashlight to the passenger in the copilot seat and asked if he would mind holding it pointed in the general direction of engine INS as a backup light. Normal takeoff was made. Upon gear up indication I took flashlight back from passenger. Radios were switched to departure frequency and turn was made to 090 degrees as instructed. Upon leveling for cruise at 5000' MSL INS lights were again set to maximum intensity for about 30 mins. Circuit breaker remained set. At an intermediate stop later in the day an FAA inspector met me at the aircraft and asked to see my discrepancy log. I had not yet made an entry. The inspector informed me that a passenger had complained and I was under investigation. This incident would not have happened had I turned INS panel lights to lowest intensity need for daylight conditions and/or set overhead INS flood lights to a complimentary setting also. In the future, I will pay more attention to lighting.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ACFT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED ON TKOF ROLL. TKOF ABORTED. LIGHTS RECOVERED. PASSENGER HOLDING A FLASHLIGHT FOR BACKUP. AFTER FLT COMPLETED PLT INFORMED BY FAA INSPECTOR A PASSENGER HAD COMPLAINED AND PLT WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

Narrative: EVERYTHING ON THIS FLT APPEARED NORMAL UNTIL JUST AFTER TKOF PWR WAS SET AND AIRSPD INDICATOR APCHED 50 MPH. AT THAT POINT THE INS PANEL LIGHT CB POPPED. TKOF WAS ABORTED AND TWR WAS INFORMED. TWR OFFERED ASSISTANCE WHICH I DECLINED SAYING WE HAD ONLY LOST INS PANEL LIGHTING. INS PANEL LIGHTS HAD BEEN ON MAX INTENSITY. TWR INFORMED ME THERE WAS NO TFC AND I COULD HOLD MY POS ON RWY 21 IF SO DESIRED, WHICH I DID. CB WAS RESET AFTER INS PANEL RHEOSTAT WAS SET TO MINIMUM. IT REMAINED SET. OVERHEAD FLOOD LIGHTS WERE SET AT MINIMUM. OVERHEAD MAP LIGHTS WHICH ARE NOT VERY BRIGHT WERE TURNED ON. BY THIS TIME MY EYES HAD BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THE DAWN LIGHT AND I DETERMINED I COULD SEE ALL INS ADEQUATELY. WITH 6000' OF RWY REMAINING TWR CLRED ME FOR TKOF. JUST PRIOR TO TKOF PWR APPLICATION I HANDED A FLASHLIGHT TO THE PAX IN THE COPLT SEAT AND ASKED IF HE WOULD MIND HOLDING IT POINTED IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF ENG INS AS A BACKUP LIGHT. NORMAL TKOF WAS MADE. UPON GEAR UP INDICATION I TOOK FLASHLIGHT BACK FROM PAX. RADIOS WERE SWITCHED TO DEP FREQ AND TURN WAS MADE TO 090 DEGS AS INSTRUCTED. UPON LEVELING FOR CRUISE AT 5000' MSL INS LIGHTS WERE AGAIN SET TO MAX INTENSITY FOR ABOUT 30 MINS. CB REMAINED SET. AT AN INTERMEDIATE STOP LATER IN THE DAY AN FAA INSPECTOR MET ME AT THE ACFT AND ASKED TO SEE MY DISCREPANCY LOG. I HAD NOT YET MADE AN ENTRY. THE INSPECTOR INFORMED ME THAT A PAX HAD COMPLAINED AND I WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THIS INCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED HAD I TURNED INS PANEL LIGHTS TO LOWEST INTENSITY NEED FOR DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS AND/OR SET OVERHEAD INS FLOOD LIGHTS TO A COMPLIMENTARY SETTING ALSO. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL PAY MORE ATTN TO LIGHTING.

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.