A navion rangemaster pilot reported smoke in the cockpit so he secured all electrical and proceeded ...

Attributes
ACN	1084687
Time
Date	201304
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Rangemaster (Navion)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Climb
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Electrical Wiring & Connectors
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Private Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 25 Flight Crew Total 500 Flight Crew Type 100
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor

Narrative:

Climbing out; smoke was noticed in the cockpit. I had already established two-way communication with a class C airport for transit clearance and was transmitting a discreet transponder code (with mode C.) I alerted ATC of the situation and advised that I was turning off all electrical items -- hence NORDO and no transponder. Smoke was evacuated by slightly opening door. I did not declare an emergency. No priority was requested or accepted. I ultimately landed without incident at intended destination after briefly turning electrical back on and advising ATC of intentions. I was instructed to call ATC via telephone after landing and I complied. Due to the situation; I was in a class 'C' airspace without two-way communication or mode-C though I did make ATC aware of the situation and my intentions. Problem preliminarily diagnosed as a heater diverter box which chaffed and made contact with a battery cable; heating the heater control cable melting its plastic shroud. Nothing caused a proximity conflict with any other aircraft; no other traffic was diverted to my knowledge.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Navion Rangemaster pilot reported smoke in the cockpit so he secured all electrical and proceeded NORDO to his Class C destination where a shorted battery cable wire near the heater-diverter box was found.

Narrative: Climbing out; smoke was noticed in the cockpit. I had already established two-way communication with a Class C airport for transit clearance and was transmitting a discreet transponder code (with Mode C.) I alerted ATC of the situation and advised that I was turning off all electrical items -- hence NORDO and NO Transponder. Smoke was evacuated by slightly opening door. I did not declare an emergency. No priority was requested or accepted. I ultimately landed without incident at intended destination after briefly turning electrical back on and advising ATC of intentions. I was instructed to call ATC via telephone after landing and I complied. Due to the situation; I was in a Class 'C' Airspace without two-way communication or Mode-C though I did make ATC aware of the situation and my intentions. Problem preliminarily diagnosed as a heater diverter box which chaffed and made contact with a battery cable; heating the heater control cable melting its plastic shroud. Nothing caused a proximity conflict with any other aircraft; no other traffic was diverted to my knowledge.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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 navion rangemaster pilot reported smoke in the cockpit so he secured all electrical and proceeded NORDO to his class C destination where a shorted battery cable wire near the heater-diverter box was found.