Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 250; Flight Crew Type 75
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Diverted; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Upon initial climb out of ZZZ; front seat non-pilot passenger reporting seeing 'flashes of light' from behind instrument panel; at the top right corner where the panel meets the glare shield. Flashes were sporadic and intermittent. I; as pilot; was unable to see them due to my angle. Passenger then reported possibility of smelling something burning; which I did not smell. Continued climb; assessed situation; and found nothing apparently wrong. No breakers had tripped. All instruments were fine. No smoke. A few minutes later; flashing resumed and we both got a strong whiff of burning in the cabin. I was already in contact with Approach and requested immediate diversion to ZZZ1; which was granted. Landed without incident with great support from ZZZ1 Approach and Tower.Had plane checked by mechanic the next day and they found a piece of metal insulation (looked like thick aluminum foil with adhesive on the back) that had started to fall behind the panel and was shorting across the terminals on the back of the Hobbs meter. The metal piece exhibited signs of burning on its corner. I was not present when the piece was removed; but I believe it came from under the glare shield. I do have photos of the piece after removal if interested. Piece removed and plane made subsequent flight without incident.Plane typically sits in hangar but was on the ramp that weekend due to travel. I suspect the sun/heat caused the metal piece to lose adhesiveness and start to separate; but again I was not present at the time of its removal.
C182 pilot reported flashes of light appeared from behind the instrument panel accompanied by a burning odor.