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3 models of small aircraft aircraft have cigarette lighter placement so close to power quadrant that it is accidently activated and overheats.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 209610 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199205 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : n30 |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | landing other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 209610 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
3 models small aircraft series aircraft have convenient power quadrant confign allowing 'fingertip' control of engine levers and trim while resting hand on console. Unfortunately, right below where the hand naturally rests is the cigarette lighter, which is activated by depressing. In landing pattern, I felt burning sensation in my hand and discovered I had inadvertently held the lighter depressed and activated to the point that it was overheated. Fortunately my passenger was able to hold the lighter until it cooled sufficiently to toss in back. I have since found other pilots have done the same thing. If any valid reason can be found for a lighter in an airplane, it should be relocated away from the power console. Operators should be advised to withdraw the lighter and plug the receptacle or deactivate the circuit. Fire/injury could result, or at least a serious distraction during IMC or critical flight phase.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: 3 MODELS OF SMA ACFT HAVE CIGARETTE LIGHTER PLACEMENT SO CLOSE TO PWR QUADRANT THAT IT IS ACCIDENTLY ACTIVATED AND OVERHEATS.
Narrative: 3 MODELS SMA SERIES ACFT HAVE CONVENIENT PWR QUADRANT CONFIGN ALLOWING 'FINGERTIP' CTL OF ENG LEVERS AND TRIM WHILE RESTING HAND ON CONSOLE. UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT BELOW WHERE THE HAND NATURALLY RESTS IS THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER, WHICH IS ACTIVATED BY DEPRESSING. IN LNDG PATTERN, I FELT BURNING SENSATION IN MY HAND AND DISCOVERED I HAD INADVERTENTLY HELD THE LIGHTER DEPRESSED AND ACTIVATED TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS OVERHEATED. FORTUNATELY MY PAX WAS ABLE TO HOLD THE LIGHTER UNTIL IT COOLED SUFFICIENTLY TO TOSS IN BACK. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OTHER PLTS HAVE DONE THE SAME THING. IF ANY VALID REASON CAN BE FOUND FOR A LIGHTER IN AN AIRPLANE, IT SHOULD BE RELOCATED AWAY FROM THE PWR CONSOLE. OPERATORS SHOULD BE ADVISED TO WITHDRAW THE LIGHTER AND PLUG THE RECEPTACLE OR DEACTIVATE THE CIRCUIT. FIRE/INJURY COULD RESULT, OR AT LEAST A SERIOUS DISTR DURING IMC OR CRITICAL FLT PHASE.
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.