A C180 pilot experiences an electrical fire in-flight resulting in an emergency landing.

Attributes
ACN	609772
Time
Date	200403
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : enl.vortac
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon tower : cps.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 180 Skywagon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure sid : turbo
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 5900 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	609772
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Departed cps on IFR flight plan. Climbing through 8000 ft on turbo 4 departure to enl VOR when electrical fire shut down all avionics and other electrical equipment. WX was VFR. I returned VFR to cps and called tower on my cell phone to report condition of aircraft and had them call st louis approach. I received clearance to land on runway 30R. I landed and after shutdown, I called the tower, who informed me, they had contacted st louis approach and let them know that aircraft was safely on ground. Maintenance then determined that avionics master switch had wires that grounded out on parking brake handle, shorting electrical system. Repaired damaged wire and tested aircraft. Found airworthy and flew out feb/sun/04 from cps on IFR flight plan. Aircraft worked perfectly and no further events took place.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C180 PLT EXPERIENCES AN ELECTRICAL FIRE INFLT RESULTING IN AN EMER LNDG.

Narrative: DEPARTED CPS ON IFR FLT PLAN. CLBING THROUGH 8000 FT ON TURBO 4 DEP TO ENL VOR WHEN ELECTRICAL FIRE SHUT DOWN ALL AVIONICS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIP. WX WAS VFR. I RETURNED VFR TO CPS AND CALLED TWR ON MY CELL PHONE TO RPT CONDITION OF ACFT AND HAD THEM CALL ST LOUIS APCH. I RECEIVED CLRNC TO LAND ON RWY 30R. I LANDED AND AFTER SHUTDOWN, I CALLED THE TWR, WHO INFORMED ME, THEY HAD CONTACTED ST LOUIS APCH AND LET THEM KNOW THAT ACFT WAS SAFELY ON GND. MAINT THEN DETERMINED THAT AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH HAD WIRES THAT GNDED OUT ON PARKING BRAKE HANDLE, SHORTING ELECTRICAL SYS. REPAIRED DAMAGED WIRE AND TESTED ACFT. FOUND AIRWORTHY AND FLEW OUT FEB/SUN/04 FROM CPS ON IFR FLT PLAN. ACFT WORKED PERFECTLY AND NO FURTHER EVENTS TOOK PLACE.

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.