 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
A cessna 414 in cruise at 12000 ft diverted due loss of avionics and communications and smoke filled cockpit to caused by a shorted avionics master switch.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 482032 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200008 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hxd.airport |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Chancellor 414A & C414 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1950 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 482032 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
IFR cruise at 12000 ft. (Ctld by ZJX). Avionics master switch caught on fire and shorted out. Large amount of smoke in cockpit, small fire. I shut down the avionics master switch, squawked 7700 and descended VFR to a lower altitude. I landed at bnl. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated when the switch started to smoke and ars, the switch was moved to the 'off' position and this corrected the smoking and arcing problem. The reporter said with the switch 'off', experienced loss of avionics and communications. The reporter said the failed switch was discovered to be rated at 40 amps current rating and the replacement switch was rated at 50 amps current rating. The reporter stated the manufacturer's specifications require a 50 amp switch and not a 40 amp switch.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A CESSNA 414 IN CRUISE AT 12000 FT DIVERTED DUE LOSS OF AVIONICS AND COMS AND SMOKE FILLED COCKPIT TO CAUSED BY A SHORTED AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH.
Narrative: IFR CRUISE AT 12000 FT. (CTLD BY ZJX). AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE AND SHORTED OUT. LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE IN COCKPIT, SMALL FIRE. I SHUT DOWN THE AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH, SQUAWKED 7700 AND DSNDED VFR TO A LOWER ALT. I LANDED AT BNL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED WHEN THE SWITCH STARTED TO SMOKE AND ARS, THE SWITCH WAS MOVED TO THE 'OFF' POSITION AND THIS CORRECTED THE SMOKING AND ARCING PROBLEM. THE RPTR SAID WITH THE SWITCH 'OFF', EXPERIENCED LOSS OF AVIONICS AND COMS. THE RPTR SAID THE FAILED SWITCH WAS DISCOVERED TO BE RATED AT 40 AMPS CURRENT RATING AND THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH WAS RATED AT 50 AMPS CURRENT RATING. THE RPTR STATED THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECS REQUIRE A 50 AMP SWITCH AND NOT A 40 AMP SWITCH.
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.