Pilot experiences smoke in the cockpit, and popped instrument panel light circuit breaker.

Attributes
ACN	318920
Time
Date	199510
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bur airport : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : psp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	controller military : 1 controller non radar : 1 controller radar : 1 controller supervisory : 1 flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 25
ASRS Report	318920
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During climb phase from vny en route to psp I turned on panel lights. Within 3 mins, I smelled smoke but did not see any. I started a turn back to vny and noticed the subpanel (lights) circuit breaker had popped. I turned off the lights (panel) as a precaution (still light from sun), so no problem seeing panel. I advised socal approach I had corrected smell. I was to continue flight to psp after a 360 degree turn back to on course. Upon arrival at psp I asked for priority landing as a smaller aircraft was #1 for a straight in stating I had earlier smelled smoke. I wanted to get on ground to be safe as soon as possible. I said I diagnosed problem. It was not a safety of flight item. All was well now. The flight was completed normally. I was cleared to land on the left parallel and small aircraft was cleared on right runway. Upon rollout (panel lights on, main only) subpanel remained out due to circuit breaker non-reset. I told tower I was fine, I need no assistance as all was normal. The possible problem was handled back near burbank. It was not safety of flight. The psp airport police took an extensive report for they thought I had called smoke in cockpit, which I never did! Only that I wanted priority landing clearance due to a well handled smell of smoke near burbank. The police seemed out of line in their approach to this flight issue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT EXPERIENCES SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, AND POPPED INST PANEL LIGHT CIRCUIT BREAKER.

Narrative: DURING CLB PHASE FROM VNY ENRTE TO PSP I TURNED ON PANEL LIGHTS. WITHIN 3 MINS, I SMELLED SMOKE BUT DID NOT SEE ANY. I STARTED A TURN BACK TO VNY AND NOTICED THE SUBPANEL (LIGHTS) CIRCUIT BREAKER HAD POPPED. I TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS (PANEL) AS A PRECAUTION (STILL LIGHT FROM SUN), SO NO PROB SEEING PANEL. I ADVISED SOCAL APCH I HAD CORRECTED SMELL. I WAS TO CONTINUE FLT TO PSP AFTER A 360 DEG TURN BACK TO ON COURSE. UPON ARR AT PSP I ASKED FOR PRIORITY LNDG AS A SMALLER ACFT WAS #1 FOR A STRAIGHT IN STATING I HAD EARLIER SMELLED SMOKE. I WANTED TO GET ON GND TO BE SAFE ASAP. I SAID I DIAGNOSED PROB. IT WAS NOT A SAFETY OF FLT ITEM. ALL WAS WELL NOW. THE FLT WAS COMPLETED NORMALLY. I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON THE L PARALLEL AND SMALL ACFT WAS CLRED ON R RWY. UPON ROLLOUT (PANEL LIGHTS ON, MAIN ONLY) SUBPANEL REMAINED OUT DUE TO CIRCUIT BREAKER NON-RESET. I TOLD TWR I WAS FINE, I NEED NO ASSISTANCE AS ALL WAS NORMAL. THE POSSIBLE PROB WAS HANDLED BACK NEAR BURBANK. IT WAS NOT SAFETY OF FLT. THE PSP ARPT POLICE TOOK AN EXTENSIVE RPT FOR THEY THOUGHT I HAD CALLED SMOKE IN COCKPIT, WHICH I NEVER DID! ONLY THAT I WANTED PRIORITY LNDG CLRNC DUE TO A WELL HANDLED SMELL OF SMOKE NEAR BURBANK. THE POLICE SEEMED OUT OF LINE IN THEIR APCH TO THIS FLT ISSUE.

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.