C303 pilot declares an emergency when a fire is suspect on board.

Attributes
ACN	701556
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna Twin Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	701556
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan from ZZZ to ZZZ1 climbing to 5000 ft (MSL) on a vector of 120 when I smelled smoke. My wife in the right seat said 'we have a fire.' I immediately contacted ZZZ approach and called out mayday; mayday; aircraft X has a fire in the panel and I'm direct to the airport. Approach gave me vectors and priority. My wife idented the radar altimeter as the source of the smoke -- it was turned off. We landed and the fire trucks were waiting. A heat detecting infra-red gun was used to check our panel -- no hot spots were found. We subsequently departed ZZZ and flew to destination without further event.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C303 PLT DECLARES AN EMER WHEN A FIRE IS SUSPECT ON BOARD.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 CLBING TO 5000 FT (MSL) ON A VECTOR OF 120 WHEN I SMELLED SMOKE. MY WIFE IN THE R SEAT SAID 'WE HAVE A FIRE.' I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED ZZZ APCH AND CALLED OUT MAYDAY; MAYDAY; ACFT X HAS A FIRE IN THE PANEL AND I'M DIRECT TO THE ARPT. APCH GAVE ME VECTORS AND PRIORITY. MY WIFE IDENTED THE RADAR ALTIMETER AS THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKE -- IT WAS TURNED OFF. WE LANDED AND THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE WAITING. A HEAT DETECTING INFRA-RED GUN WAS USED TO CHK OUR PANEL -- NO HOT SPOTS WERE FOUND. WE SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED ZZZ AND FLEW TO DEST WITHOUT FURTHER EVENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.