Emergency descent declared as be-40 experiences smoke in cockpit.

Attributes
ACN	262821
Time
Date	199401
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mcn
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 38000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tracon : btr
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6787 flight time type : 925
ASRS Report	262821
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were cleared from FL410 to descend to FL350. During the descent, a operation was heard over the captain's headset and all audio was lost on the captain's side. I immediately noticed a very strong acrid odor, the smell of electrical fumes/smoke. No visible smoke was detected but it could be smelled by both pilots and it was getting stronger. The copilot was instructed to request an emergency descent and to declare an emergency with ZTL. An emergency descent was approved and clearance to land at macon was obtained. The emergency checklist was initiated for electrical fire or smoke. The fumes dissipated by FL240 in the descent. We requested at that point that ZTL cancel the emergency status and to request priority handling into macon, GA. An uneventful landing was made at macon. It was discovered that the captain's communications panel had a transistor that was charred. I notified macon tower and the supervisor for ZTL/approach of the reason for the priority handling (by telephone). They informed me that no further actions or reports were necessary. Our handling by ZTL and macon tower was superb. A professional job!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMER DSCNT DECLARED AS BE-40 EXPERIENCES SMOKE IN COCKPIT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FROM FL410 TO DSND TO FL350. DURING THE DSCNT, A OP WAS HEARD OVER THE CAPT'S HEADSET AND ALL AUDIO WAS LOST ON THE CAPT'S SIDE. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED A VERY STRONG ACRID ODOR, THE SMELL OF ELECTRICAL FUMES/SMOKE. NO VISIBLE SMOKE WAS DETECTED BUT IT COULD BE SMELLED BY BOTH PLTS AND IT WAS GETTING STRONGER. THE COPLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO REQUEST AN EMER DSCNT AND TO DECLARE AN EMER WITH ZTL. AN EMER DSCNT WAS APPROVED AND CLRNC TO LAND AT MACON WAS OBTAINED. THE EMER CHKLIST WAS INITIATED FOR ELECTRICAL FIRE OR SMOKE. THE FUMES DISSIPATED BY FL240 IN THE DSCNT. WE REQUESTED AT THAT POINT THAT ZTL CANCEL THE EMER STATUS AND TO REQUEST PRIORITY HANDLING INTO MACON, GA. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE AT MACON. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CAPT'S COMS PANEL HAD A TRANSISTOR THAT WAS CHARRED. I NOTIFIED MACON TWR AND THE SUPVR FOR ZTL/APCH OF THE REASON FOR THE PRIORITY HANDLING (BY TELEPHONE). THEY INFORMED ME THAT NO FURTHER ACTIONS OR RPTS WERE NECESSARY. OUR HANDLING BY ZTL AND MACON TWR WAS SUPERB. A PROFESSIONAL JOB!

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.