Narrative:

We elected to proceed with a VOR approach to runway 31. The WX was reported to be 600 ft broken better than 10 miles of visibility. While established on the inbound radial; approximately eight miles from the airport I began to notice strong odor that smelled like something was burning. I confirmed the odor with first officer (PF). As the PNF I completed the memory items and donned my oxygen mask. I told PF to continue to the airport. At about five to six miles out we picked up the runway visually. I shut off both bleed valves and the rec fans. The odor did not continue to increase. We landed without incident. At no time did either crewmember detect smoke in the cockpit; only a burning odor. Since we were so close to the airport we felt a go around and troubleshooting was an inappropriate course of action. Neither crewmembers felt the event had risen to an emergency situation. On post flight I did not detect any problems with the aircraft. However; when we returned to the airport in the morning and during daylight hours we found the right engine intake heat mat had shorted out and about a three by three inch chunk had broken away. I felt particles had more than likely been ingested into the engines.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SAAB 340B FLT CREW HAS FUMES DURING APCH TO TVF.

Narrative: WE ELECTED TO PROCEED WITH A VOR APCH TO RWY 31. THE WX WAS RPTED TO BE 600 FT BROKEN BETTER THAN 10 MILES OF VISIBILITY. WHILE ESTABLISHED ON THE INBND RADIAL; APPROX EIGHT MILES FROM THE ARPT I BEGAN TO NOTICE STRONG ODOR THAT SMELLED LIKE SOMETHING WAS BURNING. I CONFIRMED THE ODOR WITH FO (PF). AS THE PNF I COMPLETED THE MEMORY ITEMS AND DONNED MY OXYGEN MASK. I TOLD PF TO CONTINUE TO THE ARPT. AT ABOUT FIVE TO SIX MILES OUT WE PICKED UP THE RWY VISUALLY. I SHUT OFF BOTH BLEED VALVES AND THE REC FANS. THE ODOR DID NOT CONTINUE TO INCREASE. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT NO TIME DID EITHER CREWMEMBER DETECT SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT; ONLY A BURNING ODOR. SINCE WE WERE SO CLOSE TO THE ARPT WE FELT A GAR AND TROUBLESHOOTING WAS AN INAPPROPRIATE COURSE OF ACTION. NEITHER CREWMEMBERS FELT THE EVENT HAD RISEN TO AN EMER SITUATION. ON POST FLT I DID NOT DETECT ANY PROBS WITH THE ACFT. HOWEVER; WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE ARPT IN THE MORNING AND DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS WE FOUND THE R ENGINE INTAKE HEAT MAT HAD SHORTED OUT AND ABOUT A THREE BY THREE INCH CHUNK HAD BROKEN AWAY. I FELT PARTICLES HAD MORE THAN LIKELY BEEN INGESTED INTO THE ENGINES.

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.