Restored warbird pilot reports electrical fumes and makes emergency landing at nearby AFB.

Attributes
ACN	782850
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Fighter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	782850
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was flying a restored warbird and I was talking to approach control; squawking a code; and level at 6500 ft MSL. I started to smell electrical smoke and then checked all the switches (ie; generator; battery; fuel pumps; propeller; etc) to try to isolate and find the problem. I was unable to fix the problem and the burning electrical odor was quite strong by then. I saw that ZZZ AFB was about 5 mi ahead; so I declared an emergency and told approach that I needed to land there. They handed me off to ZZZ and I landed with no further problems. The problem ended up being a faulty electrical motor. I was met by crash fire rescue equipment and security. The aircraft has a landing permit on file with the military so that it can land on military bases. This being the case; no further action was needed as far as the military personnel was concerned and the motor was changed out and the aircraft was flown on to its home base.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RESTORED WARBIRD PILOT REPORTS ELECTRICAL FUMES AND MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING AT NEARBY AFB.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A RESTORED WARBIRD AND I WAS TALKING TO APCH CTL; SQUAWKING A CODE; AND LEVEL AT 6500 FT MSL. I STARTED TO SMELL ELECTRICAL SMOKE AND THEN CHKED ALL THE SWITCHES (IE; GENERATOR; BATTERY; FUEL PUMPS; PROP; ETC) TO TRY TO ISOLATE AND FIND THE PROB. I WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROB AND THE BURNING ELECTRICAL ODOR WAS QUITE STRONG BY THEN. I SAW THAT ZZZ AFB WAS ABOUT 5 MI AHEAD; SO I DECLARED AN EMER AND TOLD APCH THAT I NEEDED TO LAND THERE. THEY HANDED ME OFF TO ZZZ AND I LANDED WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. THE PROB ENDED UP BEING A FAULTY ELECTRICAL MOTOR. I WAS MET BY CFR AND SECURITY. THE ACFT HAS A LNDG PERMIT ON FILE WITH THE MIL SO THAT IT CAN LAND ON MIL BASES. THIS BEING THE CASE; NO FURTHER ACTION WAS NEEDED AS FAR AS THE MIL PERSONNEL WAS CONCERNED AND THE MOTOR WAS CHANGED OUT AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN ON TO ITS HOME BASE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.