C172 pilot had burning odor in cockpit.

Attributes
ACN	445482
Time
Date	199908
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cymj.airport
State Reference	SK
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 0 flight time total : 475 flight time type : 475
ASRS Report	445482
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

While VFR returning to united states from canada I was solo occupant of my C172. After approximately 1 hour en route I smelled smoke. After several attempts to locate it I discovered the source to be a cotton storage bag on the rear seat of my plane. There were no flames coming from the bag, just smoke. The bag was seat belted in place and I was able to remove it and smother the smoldering bag. No damage occurred to the aircraft. The flight continued uneventful. After landing I discovered the source of the fire. I had stored an extra 9 volt battery in my accessory bag. The battery had been removed from its packaging case in case it was needed for my headsets (spare ready for use). The unprotected battery terminals had come in contact with the zipper of the cotton accessory bag, shorting the battery and eventually creating enough heat to burn the fabric around the metal zipper. I was very lucky to have had ready access to this bag. This situation was easily preventable by leaving the 9 volt battery in its original packaging and/or using a terminal cover on the battery contacts. I believe the battery was an alkaline, industrial brand. This situation could have been disastrous in the baggage compartment of any aircraft, private or commercial.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAD BURNING ODOR IN COCKPIT.

Narrative: WHILE VFR RETURNING TO UNITED STATES FROM CANADA I WAS SOLO OCCUPANT OF MY C172. AFTER APPROX 1 HR ENRTE I SMELLED SMOKE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO LOCATE IT I DISCOVERED THE SOURCE TO BE A COTTON STORAGE BAG ON THE REAR SEAT OF MY PLANE. THERE WERE NO FLAMES COMING FROM THE BAG, JUST SMOKE. THE BAG WAS SEAT BELTED IN PLACE AND I WAS ABLE TO REMOVE IT AND SMOTHER THE SMOLDERING BAG. NO DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE ACFT. THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFUL. AFTER LNDG I DISCOVERED THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. I HAD STORED AN EXTRA 9 VOLT BATTERY IN MY ACCESSORY BAG. THE BATTERY HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM ITS PACKAGING CASE IN CASE IT WAS NEEDED FOR MY HEADSETS (SPARE READY FOR USE). THE UNPROTECTED BATTERY TERMINALS HAD COME IN CONTACT WITH THE ZIPPER OF THE COTTON ACCESSORY BAG, SHORTING THE BATTERY AND EVENTUALLY CREATING ENOUGH HEAT TO BURN THE FABRIC AROUND THE METAL ZIPPER. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HAD READY ACCESS TO THIS BAG. THIS SIT WAS EASILY PREVENTABLE BY LEAVING THE 9 VOLT BATTERY IN ITS ORIGINAL PACKAGING AND/OR USING A TERMINAL COVER ON THE BATTERY CONTACTS. I BELIEVE THE BATTERY WAS AN ALKALINE, INDUSTRIAL BRAND. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT OF ANY ACFT, PVT OR COMMERCIAL.

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.