PLT OF C414 HAS ALTERNATOR LIGHTS ACTIVATE AND DURING TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROB CLBS ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Date: 1997-11 · Aircraft: Chancellor 414A / C414

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-less-severe|deviation-altitude-excursion-from-assigned-altitude|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance

Synopsis

PLT OF C414 HAS ALTERNATOR LIGHTS ACTIVATE AND DURING TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROB CLBS ABOVE ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative

THE ACFT INVOLVED IS A C414. WHILE CLBING OUT OF MADISON; WI; ON AN IFR CLRNC TO 10000 FT MSL IN ICING CONDITIONS; HAVING PITOT HEATS; STALL AND VENT HEAT; HOT PROPS AND CABIN HEAT ON; I HAD A L ALTERNATOR OUT LIGHT ILLUMINATE AT APPROX 9300 FT MSL. AS I WAS CONFIRMING THE L ALTERNATOR STATUS ON THE AMMETER; THE R ALTERNATOR OUT LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT APPROX 9600 FT MSL FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY SEVERAL CIRCUIT BREAKERS POPPING. AT 10000 FT MSL; AFTER LEVELING OFF AND REDUCING THE ELECTRICAL LOAD; I PROCEEDED TO RESET THE L ALTERNATOR WHICH CAME BACK ON LINE. I THEN TRIED TO RESET THE R ALTERNATOR WHICH DID NOT COME ON LINE WITH MY FIRST ATTEMPTS AND INDICATED SOMETHING ELSE WAS WRONG. I PROCEED TO CHK THE ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS AS DIRECTED BY THE CHKLIST; THESE CIRCUIT BREAKERS BEING LOCATED ON THE PLT SIDE BREAKER PANEL; ACTUALLY AFT OF THE PLT IN THE SITTING POS. WHILE MOVING MYSELF ABOUT IN THE PLT'S SEAT TO VIEW THE ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS I ALLOWED THE ACFT TO DRIFT UP TO AN ALT OF 10400 FT MSL. THE R ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED AND SO WAS RESET. WHEN I RETURNED MY FULL ATTN TO FLYING I REALIZED MY ALTDEV AND WAS CORRECTING WHEN THE ZAU CTLR CALLED ATTN TO MY ALT NOW INDICATING ABOUT 10200 FT MSL WITH A CONTINUED CORRECTION. THE CTLR STATED HE HAD RECEIVED A HIT ON THE MODE C AT 10600 FT MSL; BUT IN CHKS WITH OTHER CTLRS THAT DAY THE MODE C ON THIS ACFT WAS READING ABOUT 200 FT HIGH. I FEEL THE PRIMARY CAUSE FOR THE BREAKDOWN IN MY DIVISION OF ATTN IS THE POOR CHOICE OF LOCATION FOR IMPORTANT CIRCUIT BREAKERS IN THE C414; SOME REQUIRING THE PLT TO ACTUALLY MOVE AND TURN IN THE SEAT TO VIEW CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOR PRIMARY SYS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.