A C172 pilot; on his first solo to the practice area; noticed fire and smoke coming from the radio s...

Attributes
ACN	737071
Time
Date	200705
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 29 flight time type : 29
ASRS Report	737071
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was doing my first solo out to the practice area north of the airport. I was doing some ground reference maneuvers and noticed that the GPS and navigation lights were on. I thought that was strange and then noticed the annunciator flash low fuel. I knew there were full tanks because I checked them during preflight. I immediately started looking for an emergency landing site and suddenly noticed flames and smoke coming from the radio stack in the gap between the radios and ADF. The transponder was still on; so I tried to squawk 7600 but when I tried; the transponder failed too. I turned the avionics master off. I was going to land at a non-controled airport before I realized I had my cell phone in my bag. I called my flight instructor who I had just dropped off before going to solo and told her I had no communication; so she called the tower for me and called back to say I could come in to land and to look for light signals. On approach; I noticed the light signals and a fire truck near the runway. At this point; I realized all the electrical was out because the electric flaps weren't working either. I landed and taxied back to the parking area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PILOT; ON HIS FIRST SOLO TO THE PRACTICE AREA; NOTICED FIRE AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE RADIO STACK. HE TURNED OFF THE RADIO MASTER; CALLED HIS INSTRUCTOR ON HIS CELL PHONE TO COORDINATE WITH THE TOWER; AND RETURNED TO HIS DEP ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS DOING MY FIRST SOLO OUT TO THE PRACTICE AREA N OF THE ARPT. I WAS DOING SOME GND REF MANEUVERS AND NOTICED THAT THE GPS AND NAV LIGHTS WERE ON. I THOUGHT THAT WAS STRANGE AND THEN NOTICED THE ANNUNCIATOR FLASH LOW FUEL. I KNEW THERE WERE FULL TANKS BECAUSE I CHKED THEM DURING PREFLT. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED LOOKING FOR AN EMER LNDG SITE AND SUDDENLY NOTICED FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE RADIO STACK IN THE GAP BTWN THE RADIOS AND ADF. THE XPONDER WAS STILL ON; SO I TRIED TO SQUAWK 7600 BUT WHEN I TRIED; THE XPONDER FAILED TOO. I TURNED THE AVIONICS MASTER OFF. I WAS GOING TO LAND AT A NON-CTLED ARPT BEFORE I REALIZED I HAD MY CELL PHONE IN MY BAG. I CALLED MY FLT INSTRUCTOR WHO I HAD JUST DROPPED OFF BEFORE GOING TO SOLO AND TOLD HER I HAD NO COM; SO SHE CALLED THE TWR FOR ME AND CALLED BACK TO SAY I COULD COME IN TO LAND AND TO LOOK FOR LIGHT SIGNALS. ON APCH; I NOTICED THE LIGHT SIGNALS AND A FIRE TRUCK NEAR THE RWY. AT THIS POINT; I REALIZED ALL THE ELECTRICAL WAS OUT BECAUSE THE ELECTRIC FLAPS WEREN'T WORKING EITHER. I LANDED AND TAXIED BACK TO THE PARKING AREA.

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.

A C172 pilot; on his first solo to the practice area; noticed fire and smoke coming from the radio stack. He turned off the radio master; called his instructor on his cell phone to coordinate with the tower; and returned to his departure airport.