FLC OF A CESSNA CITATION V (C550) DIVERTED TO LAND AFTER SMOKE CAME IN COCKPIT DURING CRUISE FLT AT FL310 CAUSING THEM TO DON OXYGEN MASKS AND REQUESTING THE NEAREST ARPT TO LAND FROM ATC. ARTCC RADAR CTLR GAVE THEM EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING EVEN THOUGH THE CAPT WOULD NOT DECLARE AN EMER FOR FEAR OF TOO MANY QUESTIONS FROM FAA.

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WE WERE AT CRUISE AT FL310. WE BEGAN TO SMELL ELECTRICAL SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. WE PUT ON OUR OXYGEN MASKS AND BEGAN THE CHKLIST FOR ELECTRICAL FIRE. WE ASKED ZKC FOR LOWER AND VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT. WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. THERE WAS VISIBLE SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT; SO WE WANTED TO MAKE AN UNSCHEDULED LNDG TO DETERMINE THE PROB. NO FARS WERE BROKEN; BUT WE WERE GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING. THE CAUSE OF THE PROB WAS THE DEFOG FAN HAD LOCKED UP AND BURNED. BUT THE FIRE WAS OUT QUICKLY. I FEEL THAT WE REALLY SHOULD HAVE DECLARED (OFFICIALLY) AN EMER BECAUSE WE TREATED THE SIT AS ONE. ZKC DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. THERE WAS NOT MUCH TFC; SO HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE US MVN'S; AN IDENT; AND FREQ FOR UNICOM QUICKLY. HE ALSO CALLED THE FIRE DEPT OUT AS PER OUR REQUEST. ALL HIS EFFORT ENABLED US TO MAKE A SAFE DSCNT AND LNDG. WE STAYED OVERNIGHT FOR MAINT. ONE COMMENT. I BELIEVE THE MAJORITY OF PLTS ARE RELUCTANT TO DECLARE AN EMER. THIS IS ATTRIBUTED TO A FEAR OF THE FAA. THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT ACTIONS FROM THE FAA AND THE PAPERWORK INVOLVED. SOMEHOW WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS. I WOULD HAVE OFFICIALLY DECLARED AN EMER; BUT THE CAPT PREVENTED ME FROM DOING SO.