What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Friday, may 26, 2023 at approximately 1830, a pilot took off from the Millard Airport (mle) in a Cessna 172K. The purpose of the flight was to perform an initial break-in of the recently installed engine. While in cruize, approximately one hour and fifteen minutes into the flight, the pilot smelled and saw smoke coming from the pilot side instrument panel. The pilot also witnessed electrical arcing dropping down from the instrument panel.
The pilot contacted Omaha approach and declared an emergency. The pilot also requested that the fire department be dispatched as a precaution. The aircraft was landed at the Millard Airport and the pilot immediately shut down the aircraft. Upon landing and shutting down the aircraft, the smoke began to dissipate and there were no further signs of electrical arcing.
The pilot was the only person on board and no injuries were reported.
The mechanics involved with the maintenance before and after the incident all work for an FBO under their individual A&P certificates. There is also a director of maintenance on staff. All mechanics on hand were briefed by the dom of the findings involved with this incident to prevent future occurrence.
As the FAA filed it
ON FRIDAY, MAY 26, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1830, A PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE MILLARD AIRPORT (MLE) IN A CESSNA 172K. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PERFORM AN INITIAL BREAK-IN OF THE RECENTLY INSTALLED ENGINE. WHILE IN CRUIZE, APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT SMELLED AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE PILOT SIDE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE PILOT ALSO WITNESSED ELECTRICAL ARCING DROPPING DOWN FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.
THE PILOT CONTACTED OMAHA APPROACH AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE PILOT ALSO REQUESTED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BE DISPATCHED AS A PRECAUTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED AT THE MILLARD AIRPORT AND THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT. UPON LANDING AND SHUTTING DOWN THE AIRCRAFT, THE SMOKE BEGAN TO DISSIPATE AND THERE WERE NO FURTHER SIGNS OF ELECTRICAL ARCING.
THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON BOARD AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
THE MECHANICS INVOLVED WITH THE MAINTENANCE BEFORE AND AFTER THE INCIDENT ALL WORK FOR AN FBO UNDER THEIR INDIVIDUAL A&P CERTIFICATES. THERE IS ALSO A DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE ON STAFF. ALL MECHANICS ON HAND WERE BRIEFED BY THE DOM OF THE FINDINGS INVOLVED WITH THIS INCIDENT TO PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCE.