Piper PA28 on final approach at 1000 ft executed an off field emergency landing due to smoke and fumes from the instrument panel. Caused by a failed voltage regulator.

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Attributes
ACN	544986
Time
Date	200201
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 133 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	544986
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : observer other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : flashing lights inst other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While turning to final approach, runway 35 at ZZZ, myself and my safety pilot witnessed smoke from our instrument panel. At the same time our radio and instrument lights were flashing erratically. Because of the smoke, smell and flashing lights, I turned off the battery and alternator. At this point, I could not rule out open flame in the cockpit, so an emergency landing was performed. My copilot read the emergency checklist while I looked for an appropriate place to land. We landed in an open field without incident. Quickly, we made sure the fuel was off and exited the plane. Then we called our flight school who dispatched a group to relieve us. In this group included the school ceo chief pilot and chief mechanic. It was later hypothesized that the voltage regulator was inoperative, resulting in battery overcharge and subsequent panel/radio damage. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated maintenance found the voltage regulator had failed driving the alternator to maximum voltage output damaging the battery, radio and instruments.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER PA28 ON FINAL APCH AT 1000 FT EXECUTED AN OFF FIELD EMER LNDG DUE TO SMOKE AND FUMES FROM THE INST PANEL. CAUSED BY A FAILED VOLTAGE REGULATOR.

Narrative: WHILE TURNING TO FINAL APCH, RWY 35 AT ZZZ, MYSELF AND MY SAFETY PLT WITNESSED SMOKE FROM OUR INST PANEL. AT THE SAME TIME OUR RADIO AND INST LIGHTS WERE FLASHING ERRATICALLY. BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE, SMELL AND FLASHING LIGHTS, I TURNED OFF THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. AT THIS POINT, I COULD NOT RULE OUT OPEN FLAME IN THE COCKPIT, SO AN EMER LNDG WAS PERFORMED. MY COPLT READ THE EMER CHKLIST WHILE I LOOKED FOR AN APPROPRIATE PLACE TO LAND. WE LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD WITHOUT INCIDENT. QUICKLY, WE MADE SURE THE FUEL WAS OFF AND EXITED THE PLANE. THEN WE CALLED OUR FLT SCHOOL WHO DISPATCHED A GROUP TO RELIEVE US. IN THIS GROUP INCLUDED THE SCHOOL CEO CHIEF PLT AND CHIEF MECH. IT WAS LATER HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR WAS INOP, RESULTING IN BATTERY OVERCHARGE AND SUBSEQUENT PANEL/RADIO DAMAGE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED MAINT FOUND THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR HAD FAILED DRIVING THE ALTERNATOR TO MAX VOLTAGE OUTPUT DAMAGING THE BATTERY, RADIO AND INSTS.

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.