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A C172 was operated in non compliance with a known taxi light switch failure resulting in an in-flight electrical fire.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 501037 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200102 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : iah.vortac |
| State Reference | TX |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | departure : vfr |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 501037 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 501295 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : non compliance with mel maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : fault isolation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During preflight, the taxi light switch was found stuck in the 'on' position. Based on previous night's flts it was determined that the aircraft was safe for flight. During flight, an acidic smell was noticed and white smoke was billowing from switch and panel. We immediately shut off the master switch and began closing the vents. I then asked the student to pull the emergency checklist and followed through it. The circuit breaker never popped and the circuit breaker could not be pulled to turn off circuit. We then proceeded to ZZZ airport after the fire was determined to be out and the aircraft safe to continue flight. We orbited the field and waited for light gun signals. Upon receiving the green light, we entered the pattern, wagged our wings, and proceeded to do a no-flap landing.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C172 WAS OPERATED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH A KNOWN TAXI LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE RESULTING IN AN INFLT ELECTRICAL FIRE.
Narrative: DURING PREFLT, THE TAXI LIGHT SWITCH WAS FOUND STUCK IN THE 'ON' POS. BASED ON PREVIOUS NIGHT'S FLTS IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT WAS SAFE FOR FLT. DURING FLT, AN ACIDIC SMELL WAS NOTICED AND WHITE SMOKE WAS BILLOWING FROM SWITCH AND PANEL. WE IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE MASTER SWITCH AND BEGAN CLOSING THE VENTS. I THEN ASKED THE STUDENT TO PULL THE EMER CHKLIST AND FOLLOWED THROUGH IT. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER NEVER POPPED AND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER COULD NOT BE PULLED TO TURN OFF CIRCUIT. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO ZZZ ARPT AFTER THE FIRE WAS DETERMINED TO BE OUT AND THE ACFT SAFE TO CONTINUE FLT. WE ORBITED THE FIELD AND WAITED FOR LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. UPON RECEIVING THE GREEN LIGHT, WE ENTERED THE PATTERN, WAGGED OUR WINGS, AND PROCEEDED TO DO A NO-FLAP LNDG.
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.