ATP PLT OF A PVT SMA MEL ACFT LANDED AT AN ARSA ARPT WITHOUT CLRNC DUE TO SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND LOST COMS.

Narrative

WHILE FLYING ENRTE TO TALLAHASSEE; FL; MY FLT CONDITIONS WERE AS FOLLOWS: 9500 MSL; VFR ON TOP AND ON CTR FREQ FOR TA'S. THE FREQ WAS TOO QUIET SO I CALLED CTR AND GOT NO REPLY. I THEN DETECTED A BURNING ODOR FROM THE RADIO AREA OF THE INST PANEL. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE MASTER SWITCH; GENERATORS; RADIO MASTER NUMBER RADIO SWITCHES. I CONTINUED VFR ON TOP AS THERE WAS A BROKEN/OVCST SKY CONDITION. APPROX 2000 MSL; I PICKED UP A HWY AND CONTINUED SWARD VFR AS THE SMELL WENT AWAY. WITH THE INDICATION OF A RADIO PROBLEM ONLY; I REAPPLIED SHIPS PWR WITH THE MASTER SWITCH AND ONE GENERATOR AT A TIME. NORMAL OP. I TURNED THE RADIO MASTER ON; NORMAL; AND #2 VHF NAV/COM ON; OPS NORMAL. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL CTR BUT NO REPLY. I CALLED ON 122.8 FOR A RADIO CHK AND TALKED TO AN SMA SEL ACFT. RADIO WAS 2X3. I TURNED THE RADIO OFF AS I WAS NOT GOING TO USE THE NAV PORTION AND POSSIBLE LONG TERM USE WOULD CAUSE A PROBLEM. I CONTINUED VFR AND TRIED CALLING TLH 20 MI OUT. NO REPLY. I CONTINUED VFR AND FLEW OVER TLH ARPT AT THE ARSA CEILING LIMIT. I CIRCLED AROUND THE TWR FOR 10-12 MINS WITH 7600 ON MY TRANSPONDER AND CALLING THE TWR AND GND CTL. DURING THIS TIME I OBSERVED ONE TKOF ON 36 AND ONE LNDG ON 27. AGAIN I GOT A VERY STRONG ODOR OF BURNING INSULATION AND A WISP OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE RADIO RACK. I SHUT OFF THE RADIO MASTER #2 VHF AND TRANSPONDER. I CAREFULLY CHKED FOR ANY TFC -- NONE -- AND EXECUTED A SPIRAL DOWN TO A SHORT L DOWNWIND; BASE AND FINAL ON 27. I TURNED ON ALL LNDG LIGHTS AND ROTATING BEACON AND ROCKED MY WINGS STRONGLY ON THE ENTIRE APCH. I LANDED ON 27 AND MADE THE FIRST TURNOFF. I TAXIED TO A LINE MAINT HANGAR AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TWR CHIEF. I ASKED TO COME UP AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION AND HE SAID 'ALL I WANT IS YOUR NAME AND PLT CERTIFICATE NUMBER.' I ASKED FOR A GREEN LIGHT TO TAXI OVER TO THE TWR/FBO AREA. HE SAID OK. I WENT TO THE TWR BUILDING BUT WAS REFUSED ENTRY. A SUPVR CAME DOWN. I INTRODUCED MYSELF AND ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN MY EMER. HE SAID 'SAVE IT FOR THE ORLANDO FSDO.' I REFUELED THE ACFT AFTER DETERMINING THE PROBLEM WAS ISOLATED TO THE RADIO PACKAGE (CIRCUIT BREAKERS PULLED AND SWS OFF) TWR AGREED TO LET ME DEPART THE ARPT/ARSA VIA LIGHT SIGNALS BUT THE DEST FORECAST WAS BAD; SO I SPENT THE NIGHT IN TALLAHASSEE. THE NEXT MORNING I RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM THE TWR CHIEF; I BELIEVE; AND DEPARTED ON RWY 36 BY LIGHT SIGNALS. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. I FULLY EXPECTED TO HAVE 2 WAY RADIO COMS WHEN ARRIVING OVER TLH ARPT. IF THE BURNING INSULATION AND SMOKE HAD NOT APPEARED; I WOULD HAVE DEPARTED FOR TLH N. I ELECTED TO MAKE AN EMER LNDG IN CASE A FIRE BROKE OUT. AT LEAST TLH HAS FIRE EQUIP. IT WAS NOT MY INTENT TO WILLFULLY ENTER AN ARSA ILLEGALLY. I AM A CAREER PLT CURRENTLY FLYING CAPT ON WDB ACFT FOR ACR AND FLT INSTRUCTING MULTI AND MULTI ATP. I EXERCISED EXTREME CAUTION ENTERING THE ARSA/ATA. AVIATION HAS BEEN MY LIFE AND I HAVE 30 YRS OF ACCIDENT FREE AND VIOLATION FREE HRS OF FLT. IT IS NOT MY DESIRE TO START NOW.