Narrative:

At approximately 1 1/2 hours after departure from pie 45 NM past louis intersection we experienced HF radio malfunction. Visible smoke along with electrical burning smell was also noticed. All system were shut down and emergency checklist was completed. We could not contact new york control, so we turned 180 degrees and descended. The smoke/burning was no longer a factor. We hailed an aircraft on VHF as we approached the coast of florida who relayed our situation, at which point the captain declared an emergency and was given the closest airport for landing. I believe the electrical smoke was possibly caused by the captain's accidentally spilling coffee on himself with some liquid landing on the radio stack, although there seemed to be no spillage visible at the time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPILLING LIQUID ON HF RADIO CAUSES SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL CREW DECLARES EMER AND DSNDS TO LOWER ALT ON OVERWATER FLT. COORD WITH ATC THROUGH OTHER ACFT ON VHF RESULTS IN CLRNCS TO DIVERSION ARPT.

Narrative: AT APPROX 1 1/2 HRS AFTER DEP FROM PIE 45 NM PAST LOUIS INTXN WE EXPERIENCED HF RADIO MALFUNCTION. VISIBLE SMOKE ALONG WITH ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL WAS ALSO NOTICED. ALL SYS WERE SHUT DOWN AND EMER CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED. WE COULD NOT CONTACT NEW YORK CTL, SO WE TURNED 180 DEGS AND DSNDED. THE SMOKE/BURNING WAS NO LONGER A FACTOR. WE HAILED AN ACFT ON VHF AS WE APCHED THE COAST OF FLORIDA WHO RELAYED OUR SIT, AT WHICH POINT THE CAPT DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS GIVEN THE CLOSEST ARPT FOR LNDG. I BELIEVE THE ELECTRICAL SMOKE WAS POSSIBLY CAUSED BY THE CAPT'S ACCIDENTALLY SPILLING COFFEE ON HIMSELF WITH SOME LIQUID LNDG ON THE RADIO STACK, ALTHOUGH THERE SEEMED TO BE NO SPILLAGE VISIBLE AT THE TIME.

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.