An small aircraft pilot lost altitude when a liquid was found leaking from an electrical switch.

Attributes
ACN	262840
Time
Date	199402
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mrv
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : ztl
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1450 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	262840
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Passenger diverted pilot's attention in cockpit to substance leaking from gas fired heater offirst officern switch -- while investigating substance, originally thought to be raw gasoline in cockpit, aircraft descended 250 ft from assigned altitude -- no conflict or problem occurred -- descended to closest airport for maintenance -- canceled IFR -- resumed trip after check on ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT LOST ALT WHEN A LIQUID WAS FOUND LEAKING FROM AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

Narrative: PAX DIVERTED PLT'S ATTN IN COCKPIT TO SUBSTANCE LEAKING FROM GAS FIRED HEATER OFF/ON SWITCH -- WHILE INVESTIGATING SUBSTANCE, ORIGINALLY THOUGHT TO BE RAW GASOLINE IN COCKPIT, ACFT DSNDED 250 FT FROM ASSIGNED ALT -- NO CONFLICT OR PROB OCCURRED -- DSNDED TO CLOSEST ARPT FOR MAINT -- CANCELED IFR -- RESUMED TRIP AFTER CHK ON GND.

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.