What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was flying N5429R, a Cessna 172M, on approach into Gainesville, FL. The pilot detected the odor of smoke and noticed some smoke in the cockpit. Pilot shut off all electrical power. Smoke then cleared and pilot attempted to re-power the aircrafts avionics. The avionics failed to re-energize so pilot continued on the approach with no working radio or transponder. Pilot landed aircraft without incident, called the tower from cell phone, and received instruction to taxi to the FBO. Pilot turned aircraft over to maintenance. Maintenance discovered that the avionics master switch had failed and overheated, causing some of the plastic insulation from a ring terminal to start melting, which resulted in the smell of smoke. There was no evidence of fire, and no other damage to aircraft. Maintenance replaced the switch and released the aircraft back to service.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS FLYING N5429R, A CESSNA 172M, ON APPROACH INTO GAINESVILLE, FL. THE PILOT DETECTED THE ODOR OF SMOKE AND NOTICED SOME SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. PILOT SHUT OFF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. SMOKE THEN CLEARED AND PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RE-POWER THE AIRCRAFTS AVIONICS. THE AVIONICS FAILED TO RE-ENERGIZE SO PILOT CONTINUED ON THE APPROACH WITH NO WORKING RADIO OR TRANSPONDER. PILOT LANDED AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INCIDENT, CALLED THE TOWER FROM CELL PHONE, AND RECEIVED INSTRUCTION TO TAXI TO THE FBO. PILOT TURNED AIRCRAFT OVER TO MAINTENANCE. MAINTENANCE DISCOVERED THAT THE AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH HAD FAILED AND OVERHEATED, CAUSING SOME OF THE PLASTIC INSULATION FROM A RING TERMINAL TO START MELTING, WHICH RESULTED IN THE SMELL OF SMOKE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE, AND NO OTHER DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT. MAINTENANCE REPLACED THE SWITCH AND RELEASED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO SERVICE.
Other reports on N5492R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.