Small aircraft experiences complete electrical failure at night VFR and establishes communication with FSS via cellular phone to obtain landing clearance.

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Attributes
ACN	124739
Time
Date	198909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ign airport : pou
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 80
ASRS Report	124739
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While flying VFR en route to dutchess county airport, poughkeepsie, ny, I experienced partial electrical failure: panel and radio light, communication radios, turn and bank, fuel gauges, gear motor, navigation lights. I continued to poughkeepsie and circled overhead the air traffic area. After testing equipment and circuit breakers, I used a battery operated cellular phone (legal for preflight WX and release times on ground) to contact FSS, FSS arranged a clearance to land. Emergency gear extension was successful and landing uneventful. Examination revealed a fracture in the bus bar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA EXPERIENCES COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT NIGHT VFR AND ESTABLISHES COM WITH FSS VIA CELLULAR PHONE TO OBTAIN LNDG CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE FLYING VFR ENRTE TO DUTCHESS COUNTY ARPT, POUGHKEEPSIE, NY, I EXPERIENCED PARTIAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE: PANEL AND RADIO LIGHT, COM RADIOS, TURN AND BANK, FUEL GAUGES, GEAR MOTOR, NAV LIGHTS. I CONTINUED TO POUGHKEEPSIE AND CIRCLED OVERHEAD THE ATA. AFTER TESTING EQUIPMENT AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS, I USED A BATTERY OPERATED CELLULAR PHONE (LEGAL FOR PREFLT WX AND RELEASE TIMES ON GND) TO CONTACT FSS, FSS ARRANGED A CLRNC TO LAND. EMER GEAR EXTENSION WAS SUCCESSFUL AND LNDG UNEVENTFUL. EXAM REVEALED A FRACTURE IN THE BUS BAR.

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.