Flight crew smells fumes, shuts master switch elects to land, gets green light.

Attributes
ACN	545523
Time
Date	200204
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ves.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl single value : 1900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 850 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	545523
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

En route to another airport, the student and I smelled what seemed to be an electrical fire. Shortly after we lost all radios/electrical power. At the time we were still in the upwind for the class D airport. I elected to stay in a r-hand pattern. We did shut down the master switch due to an electrical malfunction. Tower said he was showing light-gun signals (I did not see any until the third time around in the pattern. When I called the tower he said instead of remaining in right traffic, I should have flown 360 degrees in the downwind and then awaited light gun signals. Another way to handle it should have been to continue en route to the uncontrolled airport, landed, called tower and discussed a different option. At the time of the incident, 3 airplanes had landed -- north american, C172, and a beechcraft. I did have all the traffic in sight at all times. The mechanic that works for us looked at the airplane and said that the problem occurred due to the starter remaining engaged and burning out the starter and alternator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC SMELLS FUMES, SHUTS MASTER SWITCH ELECTS TO LAND, GETS GREEN LIGHT.

Narrative: ENRTE TO ANOTHER ARPT, THE STUDENT AND I SMELLED WHAT SEEMED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. SHORTLY AFTER WE LOST ALL RADIOS/ELECTRICAL PWR. AT THE TIME WE WERE STILL IN THE UPWIND FOR THE CLASS D ARPT. I ELECTED TO STAY IN A R-HAND PATTERN. WE DID SHUT DOWN THE MASTER SWITCH DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. TWR SAID HE WAS SHOWING LIGHT-GUN SIGNALS (I DID NOT SEE ANY UNTIL THE THIRD TIME AROUND IN THE PATTERN. WHEN I CALLED THE TWR HE SAID INSTEAD OF REMAINING IN R TFC, I SHOULD HAVE FLOWN 360 DEGS IN THE DOWNWIND AND THEN AWAITED LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. ANOTHER WAY TO HANDLE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO CONTINUE ENRTE TO THE UNCTLED ARPT, LANDED, CALLED TWR AND DISCUSSED A DIFFERENT OPTION. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, 3 AIRPLANES HAD LANDED -- NORTH AMERICAN, C172, AND A BEECHCRAFT. I DID HAVE ALL THE TFC IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES. THE MECH THAT WORKS FOR US LOOKED AT THE AIRPLANE AND SAID THAT THE PROB OCCURRED DUE TO THE STARTER REMAINING ENGAGED AND BURNING OUT THE STARTER AND ALTERNATOR.

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.