# Incident 19950219004819I: Beech A23, Three Rivers, MI, February 19, 1995

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 19, 1995, 15:00 local time
- Place: Three Rivers, MI
- Airport: Three Rivers Municipal Dr Haines
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.9597° N, 85.5931° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at THREE RIVERS MUNI/DR HAINES (HAI), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9597&lon=-85.5931&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1445L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1445L-2022-03-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A23 (registry code 1151204, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-346 series (registry code 17033, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-346-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A23
- Reported engine: CONT IO346A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,065 total, 300 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950219004819I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

- [Incident 19930808032419I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930808032419I), Aug 8, 1993: Beech A23 (N1445L), Sthens, MI. Pilot experienced engine vapor lock. Forced landing in hayfield.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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