What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: the pilot stated that he was en-route to Three Rivers, Michigan after practicing touch-and-goes at grand rapids, Michigan. Ten miles out from Three Rivers, he noticed smoke in the cockpit. He turned off all electrical equipment and declared an emergency on the UNICOM frequency. Later, he stated that after he declared the emergency, he got out his hand held GPS receiver and used it to land at Three Rivers, Michigan without further incident. The investigation revealed that a grounded shielding had shorted the battery terminal to aircraft ground at the instrument panel. The shielding was installed at the factory by person or persons unknown for an unknown reason. The unused wire was removed from the aircraft and an inspection was performed on the battery compartment. A malfunction or defect report was issued by the mechanic. This incident is closed.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS EN-ROUTE TO THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN AFTER PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GOES AT GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN. TEN MILES OUT FROM THREE RIVERS, HE NOTICED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. HE TURNED OFF ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY. LATER, HE STATED THAT AFTER HE DECLARED THE EMERGENCY, HE GOT OUT HIS HAND HELD GPS RECEIVER AND USED IT TO LAND AT THREE RIVERS, MICHIGAN WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A GROUNDED SHIELDING HAD SHORTED THE BATTERY TERMINAL TO AIRCRAFT GROUND AT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE SHIELDING WAS INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY BY PERSON OR PERSONS UNKNOWN FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. THE UNUSED WIRE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND AN INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ON THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT. A MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT REPORT WAS ISSUED BY THE MECHANIC. THIS INCIDENT IS CLOSED.
Other reports on N1445L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.