Burned A Hole In My Cowl! Holy Cowl!

Stingray Don

Stingray Don

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Stingray Don
Okay, so I went to do some pattern work at the home drome the other day in search of the illusive greaser, which has been akin to capturing Big Foot. Like Big Foot, I have heard they exist and I have seen videos on YouTube, but I remain skeptical. Anyway, I’m just doing my usual crash and go’s, when I smell a foul odor. Now a foul odor in the cockpit is typically just a routine intestinal emergency and nothing to be concerned about, but this smell was different. A few seconds later and the smell was getting more intense and I could tell something was burning – not good! I check the CBs and nothing has popped. All of the electrical equipment appears to be working. Should I just shut off the master? Grab the emergency checklist! There is no time as I am on final and I hear my old instructor’s voice, “just fly the plane!” “Yes master”, I reply. Yes, I often hear voices in my head and I am polite and answer them. Why be rude to an apparition?

Anyway, I land the plane - *squeak* ……… *squeak*. Grrrreased it! My shorts that is – not the landing. The landing sucked. But at least I was the ground. As I taxi off I am shutting things down. The only thing I noticed that wasn’t working was the taxi light (it was night). At this point the burning smell was pretty intense. I think about channeling Ricky Bobby by jumping out of the plane and running around the ramp stripped to my BVDs, “help me Oprah!” No, better not do that. Someone might post the video to POA and ruin my rep.

I get the plane back in the hangar and begin my inspection – sure enough, I can see and smell the evidence. So I change my shorts and then check on the plane. I immediately notice soot marks on the cowl and a small spot of molten aluminum. Arrrrgggggg! I call the shop in the morning and have them check it out. Apparently the taxi light wire pulled loose and shorted against the cowl. How on earth does a short melt a hole in the cowl and not pop a breaker?!!! The shop attached a patch panel on the inside of the cowl and touched up the paint.

Lived to fly another day! :yes:


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Sounds like you may want to replace the breaker, too. They don't usually fail closed, but it's not unheard of.
 
Several years ago, the battery cable in my old C182 finally wore out and melted a hole in the belly under the baggage compartment near the battery box. As I pulled up to the gas pump, I could smell and see smoke in the cabin. Scared the crap outta me until I finally figured out the cause. I was just thankful it didn't happen whilst airborne.
 
That broken wire could vibrate against the cowl, causing arcing and a current flow low enough that the breaker doesn't pop. If it's the single large landing light, the airplane might have a 20-amp breaker, plenty of current to allow a good arc that would melt aluminum.

If the breaker was bad and stuck closed, the current flow could be large enough to burn the wire. It would be discolored, at least.
 
Glad it turned out the way it did and nobody got hurt/burnt.
I would definitely have the shop check out the breaker, that part sounds more than fishy.

A few points that I thought of while reading your post:
- if at an attended airport, I will call the FBO (if staffed at that hour) and politely ask for a line guy with a fire extinguisher to stand by
- I would park away from other aircraft and hangars
- if I feared the worst in the cockpit, I'd just shut down on taxiway or even pull over into the grass and get out and call the FBO on the phone to request a line guy with a fire extinguisher

I like to perform mental exercises in my head for such situations to be somehow prepared and think of ideas and solutions beforehand. I am thinking it might save my hide one day. :)
 
BigBadLou said:
Glad it turned out the way it did and nobody got hurt/burnt.
I would definitely have the shop check out the breaker, that part sounds more than fishy.

A few points that I thought of while reading your post:
- if at an attended airport, I will call the FBO (if staffed at that hour) and politely ask for a line guy with a fire extinguisher to stand by
- I would park away from other aircraft and hangars
- if I feared the worst in the cockpit, I'd just shut down on taxiway or even pull over into the grass and get out and call the FBO on the phone to request a line guy with a fire extinguisher

I like to perform mental exercises in my head for such situations to be somehow prepared and think of ideas and solutions beforehand. I am thinking it might save my hide one day. :)
Click to expand...

Sounds great, but why pussyfoot around with FBO personnel?

There is smoke in the cockpit from an unknown source. Declare an emergency, get on the ground ASAP, and let the fire department do it.
 
I'm not really surprised. Most 35+ year old airplanes need wiring FWF.
 
Glad it turned out good for you,smoke in the cockpit is something not to take for granted.
 
MAKG1 said:
Sounds great, but why pussyfoot around with FBO personnel?

There is smoke in the cockpit from an unknown source. Declare an emergency, get on the ground ASAP, and let the fire department do it.
Click to expand...

Our FBO personnel is trained in small firefighting ops and the fire department is minutes away. Faster response even on a smaller scale can have a dramatically better outcome.
And if I have fire in flight, I sure as hell am gonna declare and get her on the ground. I was just going by OP's story about burning smell while taxiing which is less severe.

In any case, being prepared counts. Be safe out there.
 
BigBadLou said:
Glad it turned out the way it did and nobody got hurt/burnt.
I would definitely have the shop check out the breaker, that part sounds more than fishy.

A few points that I thought of while reading your post:
- if at an attended airport, I will call the FBO (if staffed at that hour) and politely ask for a line guy with a fire extinguisher to stand by
- I would park away from other aircraft and hangars
- if I feared the worst in the cockpit, I'd just shut down on taxiway or even pull over into the grass and get out and call the FBO on the phone to request a line guy with a fire extinguisher

I like to perform mental exercises in my head for such situations to be somehow prepared and think of ideas and solutions beforehand. I am thinking it might save my hide one day. :)
Click to expand...

I call it "What if" training. What would I do if this or that happened, and think up solutions.
 
Late night, exhausted and not using my glasses, I read the title as "Burned A Hole In My Cow!! Holy Cow!!"

Getting old is no fun...
 
denverpilot said:
You going to add a fire extinguisher to that cockpit now?
Click to expand...

Good question and the answer is yes. This was an uncontrolled field after hours and no one was around. I do have a fire extinguisher in the hangar because the lease requires one. I plan to put one in the plane as well. :yes:
 
So, yeah the discussion has been interesting, but I cant help but notice that a really important point has been missed: do you really carry extra shorts when you fly? Do "greasers" occur regularly with you? Might need to see a doc about that leaky o-ring, if you catch my drift. Lol
 
Banjo33 said:
So, yeah the discussion has been interesting, but I cant help but notice that a really important point has been missed: do you really carry extra shorts when you fly? Do "greasers" occur regularly with you? Might need to see a doc about that leaky o-ring, if you catch my drift. Lol
Click to expand...

I actually do carry a change of clothes when flying just in case. You never know when you might get stranded overnight somewhere or have an "emergency". :yes:
 
Crazy thing. A buddy in another State just posted that he had a cowl burn-through from a short in his wiring also today. C-206.

Three photos he posted. One of a completely melted battery that looked unholy bad, second of the hole in his cowl, third of the flat spot he made in his main-gear tire getting it stopped on the runway and GTFO ASAP.

Do these things come in threes? I hope not. :)
 
denverpilot said:
Crazy thing. A buddy in another State just posted that he had a cowl burn-through from a short in his wiring also today. C-206.

Three photos he posted. One of a completely melted battery that looked unholy bad, second of the hole in his cowl, third of the flat spot he made in his main-gear tire getting it stopped on the runway and GTFO ASAP.

Do these things come in threes? I hope not. :)
Click to expand...


Turns out he scared all of us and it wasn't his airplane. Modified C206 at his home field with special gear that needs high current on board that wasn't properly protected with a breaker or fuse.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
 
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