<< >> NASA ASRS Report 279433, August 1994

Aircraft equipment problem with avionics created by buildup of static electricity and subsequent discharges during descent and approach. Electrical electronic panel problem ensued with aircraft's avionics.

Attributes
ACN	279433
Time
Date	199408
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : saw airport : mqt
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : saw tower : aus
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	279433
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Situation: excessive precipitation static build-up/discharge, back course-1900C. Aircraft experienced heavy static charge buildup resulting in 'saint elmos fire' on wing tips, propeller blades, static wicks, etc. What makes this noteworthy was the extensive discharge at the radome at nose of aircraft with constant 'sparking' for 2-3 mins. Some of the discharges were 2-3 ft long illuminating the sky ahead of the aircraft. This static did affect the avionic's and we used extreme caution on the approach. This may be related directly to the commuter crash in 1991. Corrective action by company maintenance was to replace several static wicks.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB WITH AVIONICS CREATED BY BUILDUP OF STATIC ELECTRICITY AND SUBSEQUENT DISCHARGES DURING DSCNT AND APCH. ELECTRICAL ELECTRONIC PANEL PROB ENSUED WITH ACFT'S AVIONICS.

Narrative: SIT: EXCESSIVE PRECIPITATION STATIC BUILD-UP/DISCHARGE, BC-1900C. ACFT EXPERIENCED HVY STATIC CHARGE BUILDUP RESULTING IN 'SAINT ELMOS FIRE' ON WING TIPS, PROP BLADES, STATIC WICKS, ETC. WHAT MAKES THIS NOTEWORTHY WAS THE EXTENSIVE DISCHARGE AT THE RADOME AT NOSE OF ACFT WITH CONSTANT 'SPARKING' FOR 2-3 MINS. SOME OF THE DISCHARGES WERE 2-3 FT LONG ILLUMINATING THE SKY AHEAD OF THE ACFT. THIS STATIC DID AFFECT THE AVIONIC'S AND WE USED EXTREME CAUTION ON THE APCH. THIS MAY BE RELATED DIRECTLY TO THE COMMUTER CRASH IN 1991. CORRECTIVE ACTION BY COMPANY MAINT WAS TO REPLACE SEVERAL STATIC WICKS.

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.