A C172S on takeoff climb diverted due to odor of burning electrical insulation and ammeter indication. Odor caused from overflying a roofing repair site.

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Attributes
ACN	614225
Time
Date	200404
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cdw.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdw.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 2030 flight time type : 1970
ASRS Report	614225
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ammeter indication other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Detected what was believed to be odor of burning electrical insulation. Informed cdw tower, turned off electrical power, returned for landing. Returned aircraft to airport for thorough chkout/inspection of electrical system. Results forthcoming. No smoke observed, no emergency declared. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated there was never a short circuit in the electrical system. The reporter said he first encountered the odor of electrical insulation burning, then noted the ammeter pegged indicating a short circuit. The reporter stated the cause of the meter indication was a failed ammeter amplifier which senses current flow to the battery and drives the ammeter. The reporter said the electrical burning odor was caused by passing over an industrial building having its roof resurfaced with hot tar. The reporter stated the ammeter amplifier is a frequent problem with C172 aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172S ON TKOF CLB DIVERTED DUE TO ODOR OF BURNING ELECTRICAL INSULATION AND AMMETER INDICATION. ODOR CAUSED FROM OVERFLYING A ROOFING REPAIR SITE.

Narrative: DETECTED WHAT WAS BELIEVED TO BE ODOR OF BURNING ELECTRICAL INSULATION. INFORMED CDW TWR, TURNED OFF ELECTRICAL PWR, RETURNED FOR LNDG. RETURNED ACFT TO ARPT FOR THOROUGH CHKOUT/INSPECTION OF ELECTRICAL SYS. RESULTS FORTHCOMING. NO SMOKE OBSERVED, NO EMER DECLARED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THERE WAS NEVER A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYS. THE RPTR SAID HE FIRST ENCOUNTERED THE ODOR OF ELECTRICAL INSULATION BURNING, THEN NOTED THE AMMETER PEGGED INDICATING A SHORT CIRCUIT. THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE METER INDICATION WAS A FAILED AMMETER AMPLIFIER WHICH SENSES CURRENT FLOW TO THE BATTERY AND DRIVES THE AMMETER. THE RPTR SAID THE ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR WAS CAUSED BY PASSING OVER AN INDUSTRIAL BUILDING HAVING ITS ROOF RESURFACED WITH HOT TAR. THE RPTR STATED THE AMMETER AMPLIFIER IS A FREQUENT PROB WITH C172 ACFT.

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.