Primary electrical supply problem.

Attributes
ACN	208932
Time
Date	199204
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : apa
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zdv
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time total : 1900
ASRS Report	208932
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

15 mins out of burlington, co, level 10000 ft, I experienced about 30 seconds of electrical failure, first recognized by the pitch of the autoplt. After disengaging the autoplt and establishing level flight, annunciator panel and radios failed for about 30 seconds, then came back on line for about 2 mins. I was able to advise denver center of the problem. They responded that they had a good primary radar target on the aircraft and to continue on, they would be able to track the aircraft to apa. I was unable to locate problem and ended up shutting down the master. After uneventful landing at apa, mechanics found a STAR washer shorted across magnetic-starter switch poles. Aircraft was 6 hours out of paint and upholstery. Washer was lost off of left generator switch behind panel, and eventually worked it's way into left magnetic-starter switch, causing starter to engage in flight resulting in electrical overload (amp meters read 35 and 40 amps). Gremlins ran wild in avionics, even causing audi through overhead speaker when audio was not in the speakers position. Without a high voltage light or panel breaker, it was impossible to find problem in flight. Thankfully it was good VFR day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY PROBLEM.

Narrative: 15 MINS OUT OF BURLINGTON, CO, LEVEL 10000 FT, I EXPERIENCED ABOUT 30 SECONDS OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE, FIRST RECOGNIZED BY THE PITCH OF THE AUTOPLT. AFTER DISENGAGING THE AUTOPLT AND ESTABLISHING LEVEL FLT, ANNUNCIATOR PANEL AND RADIOS FAILED FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS, THEN CAME BACK ON LINE FOR ABOUT 2 MINS. I WAS ABLE TO ADVISE DENVER CTR OF THE PROBLEM. THEY RESPONDED THAT THEY HAD A GOOD PRIMARY RADAR TARGET ON THE ACFT AND TO CONTINUE ON, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TRACK THE ACFT TO APA. I WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE PROBLEM AND ENDED UP SHUTTING DOWN THE MASTER. AFTER UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT APA, MECHS FOUND A STAR WASHER SHORTED ACROSS MAG-STARTER SWITCH POLES. ACFT WAS 6 HRS OUT OF PAINT AND UPHOLSTERY. WASHER WAS LOST OFF OF L GENERATOR SWITCH BEHIND PANEL, AND EVENTUALLY WORKED IT'S WAY INTO L MAG-STARTER SWITCH, CAUSING STARTER TO ENGAGE IN FLT RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD (AMP METERS READ 35 AND 40 AMPS). GREMLINS RAN WILD IN AVIONICS, EVEN CAUSING AUDI THROUGH OVERHEAD SPEAKER WHEN AUDIO WAS NOT IN THE SPEAKERS POS. WITHOUT A HIGH VOLTAGE LIGHT OR PANEL BREAKER, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND PROBLEM IN FLT. THANKFULLY IT WAS GOOD VFR DAY.

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.