C550 declared an emergency on approach due to burning electrical equipment odor in the cockpit.

Attributes
ACN	567368
Time
Date	200212
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tracon : a80.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation II S2/Bravo
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	567368
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	567367
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On an IFR flight from ZZZ to ewr just prior to being vectored to a final for an ILS to runway 4R under visual conditions we had a 'hot' electrical odor in the cockpit and noticed the center instrument lights were beginning to dim. We shut off the panel lights and the odor began to dissipate. We, however, deemed it appropriate to declare an emergency and land as soon as practical. The flight was concluded without further incident. Upon arriving into FBO at ewr, we consulted with our director of maintenance and the lead mechanic at the service center. They concurred the problem was a possible inverter problem for the center panel lights. Citation did not have staff available, so we decided to address the problem in the morning. In the morning it was decided that if appropriate we would fly the aircraft to ZZZ. We started engines and ran on the FBO ramp for about 15 mins and could not duplicate the problem of the previous evening. We ran the aircraft on the ramp for approximately 15 mins and could not duplicate the odor/problem. We then departed for and arrived at ZZZ without incident. Citation service at ZZZ told us that the center instrument light inverted smelled bad, so they changed it out. Our maintenance department and citation ZZZ were very confident that that was the cause of the odor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C550 DECLARED AN EMER ON APCH DUE TO BURNING ELECTRICAL EQUIP ODOR IN THE COCKPIT.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT FROM ZZZ TO EWR JUST PRIOR TO BEING VECTORED TO A FINAL FOR AN ILS TO RWY 4R UNDER VISUAL CONDITIONS WE HAD A 'HOT' ELECTRICAL ODOR IN THE COCKPIT AND NOTICED THE CTR INST LIGHTS WERE BEGINNING TO DIM. WE SHUT OFF THE PANEL LIGHTS AND THE ODOR BEGAN TO DISSIPATE. WE, HOWEVER, DEEMED IT APPROPRIATE TO DECLARE AN EMER AND LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL. THE FLT WAS CONCLUDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. UPON ARRIVING INTO FBO AT EWR, WE CONSULTED WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF MAINT AND THE LEAD MECH AT THE SVC CTR. THEY CONCURRED THE PROB WAS A POSSIBLE INVERTER PROB FOR THE CTR PANEL LIGHTS. CITATION DID NOT HAVE STAFF AVAILABLE, SO WE DECIDED TO ADDRESS THE PROB IN THE MORNING. IN THE MORNING IT WAS DECIDED THAT IF APPROPRIATE WE WOULD FLY THE ACFT TO ZZZ. WE STARTED ENGS AND RAN ON THE FBO RAMP FOR ABOUT 15 MINS AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROB OF THE PREVIOUS EVENING. WE RAN THE ACFT ON THE RAMP FOR APPROX 15 MINS AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ODOR/PROB. WE THEN DEPARTED FOR AND ARRIVED AT ZZZ WITHOUT INCIDENT. CITATION SVC AT ZZZ TOLD US THAT THE CTR INST LIGHT INVERTED SMELLED BAD, SO THEY CHANGED IT OUT. OUR MAINT DEPT AND CITATION ZZZ WERE VERY CONFIDENT THAT THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ODOR.

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.