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