A BE58 cargo pilot had an aircraft equipment problem loss of electrical generation and several instr...

Attributes
ACN	357022
Time
Date	199612
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmh
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmh military facility : suu
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Baron 58/58TC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : cmh
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	357022
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon liftoff I went to raise the landing gear and as I did, sparks flew from under the dash and I smelled electrical fire. The smell was extinguished and the sparks subsided, but I had lost several instruments and was now IMC. I proceeded to tell the tower that I needed to return to the airport. They asked if I wanted to declare an emergency and I replied no. Upon assessing the damage, I noticed I had lost the HSI, DME, ADF, transponder, radar autoplt, and both alternators were blown. The tower kept on telling me that they were not receiving my transponder and I responded with 'I know, that is why I need to return to the field.' due to the WX they had to vector me back for the ILS into runway 28L. Though I had no gyroscopes, I did not request any special assistance. I proceeded to shoot a partial panel ILS but then discovered that the GS portion was inoperative also, so I continued on as if it were a localizer -- never telling anyone. The approach worked out and I landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BE58 CARGO PLT HAD AN ACFT EQUIP PROB LOSS OF ELECTRICAL GENERATION AND SEVERAL INSTS.

Narrative: UPON LIFTOFF I WENT TO RAISE THE LNDG GEAR AND AS I DID, SPARKS FLEW FROM UNDER THE DASH AND I SMELLED ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE SMELL WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THE SPARKS SUBSIDED, BUT I HAD LOST SEVERAL INSTS AND WAS NOW IMC. I PROCEEDED TO TELL THE TWR THAT I NEEDED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. THEY ASKED IF I WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND I REPLIED NO. UPON ASSESSING THE DAMAGE, I NOTICED I HAD LOST THE HSI, DME, ADF, XPONDER, RADAR AUTOPLT, AND BOTH ALTERNATORS WERE BLOWN. THE TWR KEPT ON TELLING ME THAT THEY WERE NOT RECEIVING MY XPONDER AND I RESPONDED WITH 'I KNOW, THAT IS WHY I NEED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD.' DUE TO THE WX THEY HAD TO VECTOR ME BACK FOR THE ILS INTO RWY 28L. THOUGH I HAD NO GYROSCOPES, I DID NOT REQUEST ANY SPECIAL ASSISTANCE. I PROCEEDED TO SHOOT A PARTIAL PANEL ILS BUT THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE GS PORTION WAS INOP ALSO, SO I CONTINUED ON AS IF IT WERE A LOC -- NEVER TELLING ANYONE. THE APCH WORKED OUT AND I LANDED.

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.

A BE58 cargo pilot had an aircraft equipment problem loss of electrical generation and several instruments.