37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 452996 |
Time | |
Date | 199910 |
Day | Mon |
Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | airport : abe.airport |
State Reference | PA |
Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000 |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Controlling Facilities | tower : abe.tower |
Operator | general aviation : personal |
Make Model Name | Trojan (T28) |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
Navigation In Use | other |
Flight Phase | descent : approach |
Route In Use | arrival : vfr |
Flight Plan | VFR |
Aircraft 2 | |
Controlling Facilities | tower : abe.tower |
Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Person 1 | |
Affiliation | other |
Function | flight crew : single pilot |
Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2800 |
ASRS Report | 452996 |
Person 2 | |
Affiliation | company : air carrier |
Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
Qualification | pilot : atp |
Events | |
Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe airspace violation : entry conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far |
Independent Detector | other controllera |
Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
Supplementary | |
Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
The next day was selected to ferry the aircraft. The takeoff was uneventful. En route climb to 14500 ft proved nominal and all operable system appeared to be working normally although the RMI had begun a slow continuous rotation which was distracting. The secondary bus relay blew which caused the boost pump and all communication/navigation to go off-line. I began to notice significant lag in the altimeter unwind and did not notice the altimeter circuit breaker which had blown. I steered the aircraft towards the airport (abe). After switching to communication #2 approach, I called but received no response. At this point I was continuing the descent to maintain clear of the class C airspace vertically but I wanted to be over the airport in case the electrical situation deteriorated further. Crossed over the airport just off the west end at 4500 ft MSL and turned into a left orbit until I could establish communication with approach. I rapped the altimeter case/glass and was surprised to see it unwind first 500 ft and then another 800-900 ft. It was apparent that I had penetrated the class C airspace. I called the tower on communication #1 and declared my position. I knew I would be invited to make a call to the facility on landing. I was cleared to land and given the phone number. Upon inspection of the aircraft master control panel/circuit breaker panel under the console it was apparent that wire arcing and shorting had occurred.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A T28 PLT ENTERED ABE CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.
Narrative: THE NEXT DAY WAS SELECTED TO FERRY THE ACFT. THE TKOF WAS UNEVENTFUL. ENRTE CLB TO 14500 FT PROVED NOMINAL AND ALL OPERABLE SYS APPEARED TO BE WORKING NORMALLY ALTHOUGH THE RMI HAD BEGUN A SLOW CONTINUOUS ROTATION WHICH WAS DISTRACTING. THE SECONDARY BUS RELAY BLEW WHICH CAUSED THE BOOST PUMP AND ALL COM/NAV TO GO OFF-LINE. I BEGAN TO NOTICE SIGNIFICANT LAG IN THE ALTIMETER UNWIND AND DID NOT NOTICE THE ALTIMETER CIRCUIT BREAKER WHICH HAD BLOWN. I STEERED THE ACFT TOWARDS THE ARPT (ABE). AFTER SWITCHING TO COM #2 APCH, I CALLED BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. AT THIS POINT I WAS CONTINUING THE DSCNT TO MAINTAIN CLR OF THE CLASS C AIRSPACE VERTLY BUT I WANTED TO BE OVER THE ARPT IN CASE THE ELECTRICAL SIT DETERIORATED FURTHER. CROSSED OVER THE ARPT JUST OFF THE W END AT 4500 FT MSL AND TURNED INTO A L ORBIT UNTIL I COULD ESTABLISH COM WITH APCH. I RAPPED THE ALTIMETER CASE/GLASS AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE IT UNWIND FIRST 500 FT AND THEN ANOTHER 800-900 FT. IT WAS APPARENT THAT I HAD PENETRATED THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. I CALLED THE TWR ON COM #1 AND DECLARED MY POS. I KNEW I WOULD BE INVITED TO MAKE A CALL TO THE FACILITY ON LNDG. I WAS CLRED TO LAND AND GIVEN THE PHONE NUMBER. UPON INSPECTION OF THE ACFT MASTER CTL PANEL/CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL UNDER THE CONSOLE IT WAS APPARENT THAT WIRE ARCING AND SHORTING HAD OCCURRED.
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.