BE58 pilot had smoke in the cockpit in ZHU class east airspace.

Attributes
ACN	553789
Time
Date	200207
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : erv.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Baron 58/58TC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	553789
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

The flight was in and out of numerous rain showers and temperature at 14000 ft was zero to -2 degrees C. I was trained to turn on anti-ice from below 10 degrees C. The flowing items were on: all radios, navs, radar, strike finder, argus, ADF, transponder, RNAV, GPS, intercom. In addition, the following items were on: stall warning heat, fuel vent heat, pitot heat and when in rain I would put the propeller heat on. At approximately 1.45 mins into my flight, I was at 14000 ft with discretion to 7000 ft and approximately 65 mi to my destination, I smelled something. I immediately looked down and saw smoke coming into the cabin from under my yoke below my switches. I immediately told ATC and was cleared to 4000 ft. I began an emergency descent, dumped the cabin pressure and turned all the switches and avionics off except the radio and GPS. Smoke continued for approximately 30 seconds and I removed the fire extinguisher and opened my side window as I leveled at 4000 ft. I requested the closest airport and they vectored me to kerrville and cleared me for the approach. The smoke had stopped at this time and broke out into VFR approximately 5 mi to the airport and landed immediately. Upon landing, I shut everything down and went to the FBO and called to cancel and let ZHU know I was on the ground without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE58 PLT HAD SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT IN ZHU CLASS E AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS IN AND OUT OF NUMEROUS RAIN SHOWERS AND TEMP AT 14000 FT WAS ZERO TO -2 DEGS C. I WAS TRAINED TO TURN ON ANTI-ICE FROM BELOW 10 DEGS C. THE FLOWING ITEMS WERE ON: ALL RADIOS, NAVS, RADAR, STRIKE FINDER, ARGUS, ADF, XPONDER, RNAV, GPS, INTERCOM. IN ADDITION, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE ON: STALL WARNING HEAT, FUEL VENT HEAT, PITOT HEAT AND WHEN IN RAIN I WOULD PUT THE PROP HEAT ON. AT APPROX 1.45 MINS INTO MY FLT, I WAS AT 14000 FT WITH DISCRETION TO 7000 FT AND APPROX 65 MI TO MY DEST, I SMELLED SOMETHING. I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED DOWN AND SAW SMOKE COMING INTO THE CABIN FROM UNDER MY YOKE BELOW MY SWITCHES. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD ATC AND WAS CLRED TO 4000 FT. I BEGAN AN EMER DSCNT, DUMPED THE CABIN PRESSURE AND TURNED ALL THE SWITCHES AND AVIONICS OFF EXCEPT THE RADIO AND GPS. SMOKE CONTINUED FOR APPROX 30 SECONDS AND I REMOVED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND OPENED MY SIDE WINDOW AS I LEVELED AT 4000 FT. I REQUESTED THE CLOSEST ARPT AND THEY VECTORED ME TO KERRVILLE AND CLRED ME FOR THE APCH. THE SMOKE HAD STOPPED AT THIS TIME AND BROKE OUT INTO VFR APPROX 5 MI TO THE ARPT AND LANDED IMMEDIATELY. UPON LNDG, I SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN AND WENT TO THE FBO AND CALLED TO CANCEL AND LET ZHU KNOW I WAS ON THE GND WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.