<< >> NASA ASRS Report 374009, July 1997

An embraer 120 on descent 8000 ft declared an emergency and diverted due to smoke in the cockpit caused by 2 wire terminal lugs shorted on a relay.

Attributes
ACN	374009
Time
Date	199707
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lal
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	374009
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

As we passed over lakeland VOR we began to smell a faint electrical smell. ATC gave us a 230 degree heading and descent to 6000 ft. The smell became worse and we noticed smoke coming from the relay panel on the first officer's side. We donned our oxygen mask, secured the recirculation and gasper fans and declared an emergency. We landed at sarasota/bradenton airport without further incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the smoke was coming from an electrical panel directly behind the first officer and as the event proceeded the smoke became quite heavy. He relates that maintenance found 2 wire terminals on a relay where the insulation had worn off the lugs and shorted together causing the smoke. Reporter said maintenance did not advise the circuit or system that was involved and if any circuit breakers were tripped.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 120 ON DSCNT 8000 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT CAUSED BY 2 WIRE TERMINAL LUGS SHORTED ON A RELAY.

Narrative: AS WE PASSED OVER LAKELAND VOR WE BEGAN TO SMELL A FAINT ELECTRICAL SMELL. ATC GAVE US A 230 DEG HDG AND DSCNT TO 6000 FT. THE SMELL BECAME WORSE AND WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE RELAY PANEL ON THE FO'S SIDE. WE DONNED OUR OXYGEN MASK, SECURED THE RECIRCULATION AND GASPER FANS AND DECLARED AN EMER. WE LANDED AT SARASOTA/BRADENTON ARPT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM AN ELECTRICAL PANEL DIRECTLY BEHIND THE FO AND AS THE EVENT PROCEEDED THE SMOKE BECAME QUITE HVY. HE RELATES THAT MAINT FOUND 2 WIRE TERMINALS ON A RELAY WHERE THE INSULATION HAD WORN OFF THE LUGS AND SHORTED TOGETHER CAUSING THE SMOKE. RPTR SAID MAINT DID NOT ADVISE THE CIRCUIT OR SYS THAT WAS INVOLVED AND IF ANY CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE TRIPPED.

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.