GA small aircraft continued night flight to home base without electrical power.

Attributes
ACN	104166
Time
Date	198902
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time total : 1050 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	104166
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a training flight I was flying back to my home airport (vny). When the low voltage light illuminated a second time. It had already lit up once earlier in the flight. I tried resetting the master switch, but the light remained on and the ammeter indicated a negative rate or charge. The sun had set more than an hour ago, and the battery was unable to keep the navigation and anti-collision lights on for very long. I didn't feel that I should have turned the lights off earlier and used the lights when I had nearby traffic. In other words, I thought the battery could run the lights and one communication/navigation radio for the remaining 30 mins. At that point, I chose to continue the flight to vny. Vny was just about as close as any airport, except for el monte. I think it would have been safer to land at el monte.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA CONTINUED NIGHT FLT TO HOME BASE WITHOUT ELECTRICAL POWER.

Narrative: DURING A TRNING FLT I WAS FLYING BACK TO MY HOME ARPT (VNY). WHEN THE LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT ILLUMINATED A SECOND TIME. IT HAD ALREADY LIT UP ONCE EARLIER IN THE FLT. I TRIED RESETTING THE MASTER SWITCH, BUT THE LIGHT REMAINED ON AND THE AMMETER INDICATED A NEGATIVE RATE OR CHARGE. THE SUN HAD SET MORE THAN AN HR AGO, AND THE BATTERY WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE NAV AND ANTI-COLLISION LIGHTS ON FOR VERY LONG. I DIDN'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TURNED THE LIGHTS OFF EARLIER AND USED THE LIGHTS WHEN I HAD NEARBY TFC. IN OTHER WORDS, I THOUGHT THE BATTERY COULD RUN THE LIGHTS AND ONE COM/NAV RADIO FOR THE REMAINING 30 MINS. AT THAT POINT, I CHOSE TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO VNY. VNY WAS JUST ABOUT AS CLOSE AS ANY ARPT, EXCEPT FOR EL MONTE. I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFER TO LAND AT EL MONTE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.