Instructor with spi in a katana smells burning plastic and sees smoke coming from the instrument pan...

Attributes
ACN	417911
Time
Date	199810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : frg airport : frg
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : frg
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 2
ASRS Report	417911
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I took off from frg on a training flight with a new zero hour student. We were about 1/2 hour into the flight at about 4000 ft MSL south of frg (in the practice area). I was teaching my student straight, level and turns. During a level turn, I smelled something like burnt plastic and looked down at the instrument panel. I saw smoke coming from under and on top of the instrument panel. I immediately shut off all of my electrical equipment, opened my air vents, and proceeded to turn back to frg. As I turned back the smoke ceased. Occasionally, I turned my master switch and radios on to alert ATC, who cleared me to land. At the time, I didn't know but the smoke had come from the plastic reservoir that holds the antifreeze. It appears that the baffle that separates the reservoir from the exhaust system failed. (We discovered this on the ground later.) during the flight, my main concern was for my passenger not to worry (she was more calm than me). After the smoke stopped, I felt the situation was under control (I thought it was an electrical problem that ceased when I turned the master off). The only thought I was thinking was to bring the plane back to frg. I could have landed on a highway or beach that was closer, but as I mentioned, the situation seemed under control and the airplane flyable, but in hindsight in a situation like that, the best thing would have been to bring the plane down as soon as possible. Maybe with a new student and in a new aircraft I was not thinking correctly. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the aircraft was a katana, which is liquid cooled. Reporter said this was a zero time student who did not panic and felt the instructor handled the situation quite calmly. He was making every effort to do so. Apparently he did well since the student has continued rapidly with training. Reporter does not know any further information than what is stated in his report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR WITH SPI IN A KATANA SMELLS BURNING PLASTIC AND SEES SMOKE COMING FROM THE INST PANEL. ALL ELECTRICAL IS TURNED OFF AND A RETURN LAND IS ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative: I TOOK OFF FROM FRG ON A TRAINING FLT WITH A NEW ZERO HR STUDENT. WE WERE ABOUT 1/2 HR INTO THE FLT AT ABOUT 4000 FT MSL S OF FRG (IN THE PRACTICE AREA). I WAS TEACHING MY STUDENT STRAIGHT, LEVEL AND TURNS. DURING A LEVEL TURN, I SMELLED SOMETHING LIKE BURNT PLASTIC AND LOOKED DOWN AT THE INST PANEL. I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER AND ON TOP OF THE INST PANEL. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF ALL OF MY ELECTRICAL EQUIP, OPENED MY AIR VENTS, AND PROCEEDED TO TURN BACK TO FRG. AS I TURNED BACK THE SMOKE CEASED. OCCASIONALLY, I TURNED MY MASTER SWITCH AND RADIOS ON TO ALERT ATC, WHO CLRED ME TO LAND. AT THE TIME, I DIDN'T KNOW BUT THE SMOKE HAD COME FROM THE PLASTIC RESERVOIR THAT HOLDS THE ANTIFREEZE. IT APPEARS THAT THE BAFFLE THAT SEPARATES THE RESERVOIR FROM THE EXHAUST SYS FAILED. (WE DISCOVERED THIS ON THE GND LATER.) DURING THE FLT, MY MAIN CONCERN WAS FOR MY PAX NOT TO WORRY (SHE WAS MORE CALM THAN ME). AFTER THE SMOKE STOPPED, I FELT THE SIT WAS UNDER CTL (I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROB THAT CEASED WHEN I TURNED THE MASTER OFF). THE ONLY THOUGHT I WAS THINKING WAS TO BRING THE PLANE BACK TO FRG. I COULD HAVE LANDED ON A HWY OR BEACH THAT WAS CLOSER, BUT AS I MENTIONED, THE SIT SEEMED UNDER CTL AND THE AIRPLANE FLYABLE, BUT IN HINDSIGHT IN A SIT LIKE THAT, THE BEST THING WOULD HAVE BEEN TO BRING THE PLANE DOWN ASAP. MAYBE WITH A NEW STUDENT AND IN A NEW ACFT I WAS NOT THINKING CORRECTLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE ACFT WAS A KATANA, WHICH IS LIQUID COOLED. RPTR SAID THIS WAS A ZERO TIME STUDENT WHO DID NOT PANIC AND FELT THE INSTRUCTOR HANDLED THE SIT QUITE CALMLY. HE WAS MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO DO SO. APPARENTLY HE DID WELL SINCE THE STUDENT HAS CONTINUED RAPIDLY WITH TRAINING. RPTR DOES NOT KNOW ANY FURTHER INFO THAN WHAT IS STATED IN HIS REPORT.

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.

Instructor with spi in a katana smells burning plastic and sees smoke coming from the instrument panel. All electrical is turned off and a return land is accomplished.