Commuter small transport experiences smoke in cockpit.

Attributes
ACN	143666
Time
Date	199004
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	143666
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Shortly after level off at 4000' I observed smoke coming from the right side of the instrument panel. I informed the captain. He declared an emergency with regional departure and requested an immediate return to dfw. We followed standard emergency procedures and completed the items on the electrical fire/smoke checklist. The smoke stopped and we flew the ILS 36L to landing at dfw. As the smoke had stopped we taxied back to the gate and deplaned the passenger (9 adults). We did not have an emergency evacuation of the airplane. No flames were ever observed. We did not call for the fire trucks. After maintenance examined the aircraft they found that the smoke came from part of the windshield heat system on the right side. They labeled the switch as inoperative, secured the circuit breaker in the 'popped' position and deferred maintenance until later. We flew the airplane afterwards and had an uneventful flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT EXPERIENCES SMOKE IN COCKPIT.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER LEVEL OFF AT 4000' I OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I INFORMED THE CAPT. HE DECLARED AN EMER WITH REGIONAL DEP AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO DFW. WE FOLLOWED STANDARD EMER PROCS AND COMPLETED THE ITEMS ON THE ELECTRICAL FIRE/SMOKE CHECKLIST. THE SMOKE STOPPED AND WE FLEW THE ILS 36L TO LNDG AT DFW. AS THE SMOKE HAD STOPPED WE TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE AND DEPLANED THE PAX (9 ADULTS). WE DID NOT HAVE AN EMER EVACUATION OF THE AIRPLANE. NO FLAMES WERE EVER OBSERVED. WE DID NOT CALL FOR THE FIRE TRUCKS. AFTER MAINT EXAMINED THE ACFT THEY FOUND THAT THE SMOKE CAME FROM PART OF THE WINDSHIELD HEAT SYSTEM ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THEY LABELED THE SWITCH AS INOP, SECURED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THE 'POPPED' POSITION AND DEFERRED MAINT UNTIL LATER. WE FLEW THE AIRPLANE AFTERWARDS AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL FLT.

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.