Smoke develops in light transport aircraft during approach into ewr.

Attributes
ACN	345040
Time
Date	199608
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 79 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 314
ASRS Report	345040
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During the approach phase of flight xx from iad to ewr on aug/xx/96 at XA36Z, the first officer and myself noticed and saw an electrical/rubbery burning odor in the cockpit and in the cabin. About 1 min later the odor and smoke continued, and appeared to increase, thus did not seem to dissipate. So we filed an in-flight emergency and proceeded with the 'smoke and fume elimination' memory items. A few mins later we landed in ewr without further incident. Upon landing in ewr the first officer completed the 'after landing' checklist. At this time the smoke and odor did not seem to increase in any way. After the mechanics performed their diagnostics, they determined that wiring to the cabin lighting components had shorted and sustained burned damage. The circuit breaker to the cabin lighting (located under the cabin floor board) had popped and thus prevented the continuation of the electrical short.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMOKE DEVELOPS IN LTT ACFT DURING APCH INTO EWR.

Narrative: DURING THE APCH PHASE OF FLT XX FROM IAD TO EWR ON AUG/XX/96 AT XA36Z, THE FO AND MYSELF NOTICED AND SAW AN ELECTRICAL/RUBBERY BURNING ODOR IN THE COCKPIT AND IN THE CABIN. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER THE ODOR AND SMOKE CONTINUED, AND APPEARED TO INCREASE, THUS DID NOT SEEM TO DISSIPATE. SO WE FILED AN INFLT EMER AND PROCEEDED WITH THE 'SMOKE AND FUME ELIMINATION' MEMORY ITEMS. A FEW MINS LATER WE LANDED IN EWR WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. UPON LNDG IN EWR THE FO COMPLETED THE 'AFTER LNDG' CHKLIST. AT THIS TIME THE SMOKE AND ODOR DID NOT SEEM TO INCREASE IN ANY WAY. AFTER THE MECHS PERFORMED THEIR DIAGNOSTICS, THEY DETERMINED THAT WIRING TO THE CABIN LIGHTING COMPONENTS HAD SHORTED AND SUSTAINED BURNED DAMAGE. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER TO THE CABIN LIGHTING (LOCATED UNDER THE CABIN FLOOR BOARD) HAD POPPED AND THUS PREVENTED THE CONTINUATION OF THE ELECTRICAL SHORT.

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.