Pilot of columbia 400 reports possible lightning strike and subsequent electrical failure at FL250.

Attributes
ACN	703636
Time
Date	200607
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft Low Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 760 flight time type : 8
ASRS Report	703636
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I was receiving instruction in my new airplane. The training pilot was PIC. We were on an IFR flight plan. We entered IMC and saw a flash followed by smoke in the cockpit; a burning smell and loss of electrical equipment except for my pfd and #1 communication. Our intercom was out. I then saw an O2 warning on my pfd and thought the O2 had gone out. I immediately declared an emergency with center and made a rapid descent. Center gave me heading to ZZZ. Where a safe landing was made. No injuries. On inspection of the aircraft; several burn marks were noted consistent with lightning strike. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter states that they were using xm satellite WX which showed a line of thunderstorms across their route. The instructor/PIC decided to penetrate the line of storms which resulted in this report.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF COLUMBIA 400 RPTS POSSIBLE LIGHTNING STRIKE AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT FL250.

Narrative: I WAS RECEIVING INSTRUCTION IN MY NEW AIRPLANE. THE TRAINING PLT WAS PIC. WE WERE ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. WE ENTERED IMC AND SAW A FLASH FOLLOWED BY SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT; A BURNING SMELL AND LOSS OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT EXCEPT FOR MY PFD AND #1 COM. OUR INTERCOM WAS OUT. I THEN SAW AN O2 WARNING ON MY PFD AND THOUGHT THE O2 HAD GONE OUT. I IMMEDIATELY DECLARED AN EMER WITH CTR AND MADE A RAPID DSCNT. CTR GAVE ME HEADING TO ZZZ. WHERE A SAFE LNDG WAS MADE. NO INJURIES. ON INSPECTION OF THE ACFT; SEVERAL BURN MARKS WERE NOTED CONSISTENT WITH LIGHTNING STRIKE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATES THAT THEY WERE USING XM SATELLITE WX WHICH SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THEIR RTE. THE INSTRUCTOR/PIC DECIDED TO PENETRATE THE LINE OF STORMS WHICH RESULTED IN THIS RPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.