Loss of lights and electrical power at night.

Attributes
ACN	285705
Time
Date	199410
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : roa
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 690 flight time type : 690
ASRS Report	285705
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On downwind for runway 6 at completion of biennial flight review at night, moderate rain on IFR flight plan, lost all cockpit lighting. I assumed the cfii conducting the biennial flight review had pulled a circuit breaker. He had not. Cockpit then filled with smoke. Advised tower of need to land immediately on runway 6, were cleared to land runway 6, used flashlight to see airspeed indicator and landed without incident. Advised tower/ground we were shutting off electrical system and taxied to ramp. In hindsight, should have shut off electrical as soon as smelled smoke after advising tower of problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOSS OF LIGHTS AND ELECTRICAL PWR AT NIGHT.

Narrative: ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 6 AT COMPLETION OF BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW AT NIGHT, MODERATE RAIN ON IFR FLT PLAN, LOST ALL COCKPIT LIGHTING. I ASSUMED THE CFII CONDUCTING THE BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW HAD PULLED A CIRCUIT BREAKER. HE HAD NOT. COCKPIT THEN FILLED WITH SMOKE. ADVISED TWR OF NEED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY ON RWY 6, WERE CLRED TO LAND RWY 6, USED FLASHLIGHT TO SEE AIRSPD INDICATOR AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ADVISED TWR/GND WE WERE SHUTTING OFF ELECTRICAL SYS AND TAXIED TO RAMP. IN HINDSIGHT, SHOULD HAVE SHUT OFF ELECTRICAL AS SOON AS SMELLED SMOKE AFTER ADVISING TWR OF PROB.

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.