In a recent ferry flight, I encountered a sudden and very irrational electrical and avionics failure as I entered IMC conditions. I was in a Cirrus SR22 with an Avidyne MFD, an Aspen PFD and a full set of steam gauges to boot. Within about one minute of entering the clouds for a descent, instruments 288
Wax On, Wax Off
In a recent ferry flight, I encountered a sudden and very irrational electrical and avionics failure as I entered IMC conditions. I was in a Cirrus SR22 with an Avidyne MFD, an Aspen PFD and a full set of steam gauges to boot. Within about one minute of entering the clouds for a descent, instruments began to fail and then come back on. They often came back with confusing data. The twin Garmin 430s also failed and came back-and then failed again-and so it went for what seemed like hours.
Key Takeaways:
- A pilot experienced sudden and critical electrical and avionics failures in IMC conditions aboard a composite Cirrus SR22, despite prior repairs for minor corrosion.
- The root cause was discovered to be a silicone-based paste wax on the aircraft's skin, which impeded the composite structure's ability to dissipate static electricity.
- The crucial lesson learned is to avoid silicone-based waxes on composite aircraft, as they block static discharge and can lead to severe electrical system malfunctions.
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