Cardinal 177/177RG
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 65; Flight Crew Total 602; Flight Crew Type 602
Troubleshooting; Workload; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Airspace Violation All Types; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Aircraft
A less-experienced co-pilot and I were flying an animal-rescue transport from Houston; landing in the Fort Worth area for the first time. We had VFR flight following from Houston until just short of our destination; Hicks (T67). Flight following was discontinued by FTW Tower after we exited Meacham airspace; I switched to T67 CTAF; squawked 1200; descended; and flew to enter the 45 for left downwind 14. It was turbulent; with strong direct crosswinds out of the west. As I neared the turn to downwind; I elected to deploy 10-degrees of flaps. The flaps deployed; but there was a distinct smell of a burning electrical malfunction. My GPS-nav/com1 went dark; as did nav/com2 and my yoke mounted GPS. The flaps would not retract. I recalled that I recently had separate work done on the electrical flap control system and the avionics. After the work; however; all had been good for a test flight and a couple of subsequent flights.   The pattern was crowded that morning; with aircraft entering from all directions. Unable to communicate; I elected to circle 360 degrees to my right (out of habit) to remain close to the downwind pattern while I tried to diagnose the problem. My co-pilot had an iPad with aero chart functions and I handed him my Dallas TAC chart (I always fly with backups) and asked him to monitor our position.  I found that several breakers had tripped and [I opted to] reset them.  Still no nav/coms or flap response. Switched master avionics off and on. No nav/coms; and the breakers tripped again. I reached for the wiring bundle under the lower right of the panel (where the smell had come from); and moved it. Both nav/coms restarted; as did the yoke mounted GPS. Returning to the pattern; I noticed that the GPS indicated that we might have inadvertently strayed into the airspace at Fort Worth Alliance (AFW) while I was troubleshooting (and while my co-pilot was; supposedly; monitoring our position). We rejoined the pattern; made position calls; and landed with 10-degrees of flaps. On the ground; I found evidence of wire-chafing and burned insulation in several wires in the bundle. I was able to separate and insulate the wires; also regaining flap control. Flew home successfully. The wiring bundle has been inspected and repaired. I aviated. In retrospect; I should not have allowed a less-experienced pilot to navigate nor should I have given in to habit in an unfamiliar airspace by circling 360 degrees to the right; to my left [west] would have been a better choice; given the configuration of the Fort Worth airspace).
When distracted by electrical flight control and communications anomalies while entering the pattern at a non-towered airport the pilot of a C-177 turned pilot flying duties over to a less experienced passenger in the right seat.  While the reporter was troubleshooting the problem they may have climbed into a Class D area overlying the airport.