PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 180; Flight Crew Total 18500; Flight Crew Type 350
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification; Troubleshooting; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Procedure
The flight was the first after a completed annual inspection to home base. Filed IFR. After normal VFR takeoff and climb out; contacted approach for filed IFR routing. Received routing and proceeded northbound on course at 5000 ft.  Shortly thereafter; I noted the electric pitch trim did not work.  The STEC 30 autopilot system did not seem to be managing the very light turbulence situation with noticeable altitude deviations.  About 5 minutes later I observed no charging on the ammeter; and a popped alternator circuit breaker.  I reset the circuit breaker and noted an abnormally high ammeter reading. The circuit breaker quickly popped again.  I contacted Approach; advised of the problem; cancelled the IFR flight plan; and advised continuation of the flight to my filed destination. I attempted another reset with same high ammeter reading and detected a slight whiff of electrical smoke. The CB had not popped within that 3-5 second window; so I secured the electrical system with the Battery switch.  I pulled out a handheld radio from my flight kit and hooked it into my headset.  Navigation was combination visual and Garmin Pilot app on an iPad mini. I contacted FSS requesting a clearance waiver into my destination due to no transponder; and limited communication. FSS contacted ARTCC; and advised.  I switched over to their frequency; and was advised my request was approved.  Depending on where I was and the controller's receiver antenna made it sometimes difficult for them to hear me; but I could hear them and used mic clicks to acknowledge their queries. Tower cleared me to land on runway 10R about 8 miles from touchdown. On the ground I was able 2 way radio comm with ground control. Taxied to parking uneventfully.My error was a second attempt at CB reset.  The OEM aircraft circuit breaker was not one you can manually pull out yourself.  Had I not done that and then needed to immediately secure the whole system with the battery master switch; I could have used aircraft battery power for communication and transponder.During the annual inspection; the A&P had replaced a damaged cushion clamp on alternator wiring in the engine bay.  The post maintenance action engine run up was uneventful.  Conjecture is that during the course of the cushion replacement action; a potential ground in a related area was unseated; and vibrated it's way to a short inflight.  Troubleshooting will be focused in this area next week.  I also made an inquiry with an Avionics shop to swap out the OEM circuit breaker for one that can be manually pulled out to secure the alternator feed.
PA28 pilot reported a flight in which his alternator circuit breaker popped several times. After disconnecting the electrical system; he communicated with his portable radio and navigated with his iPad.