Pilot of small aircraft twin lost electrical on approach to ida at night.

Attributes
ACN	136274
Time
Date	199002
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ida
State Reference	ID
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 2 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct enroute airway : v520
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 700
ASRS Report	136274
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

En route from geg to ida on arwys I encountered severe downdrafts at 17000' and was unable to maintain my assigned altitude. I reported this to center and was given a block altitude 15000-17000'. I descended to 15000', but was unable to maintain this altitude either. This occurred in the salmon area. Since I was then receiving ida, I asked for and received a clearance to descend to 13000' and go direct. Unfortunately, as I went around at ida, I experience a total electrical failure. I climbed to approximately 9000' and attempted to troubleshoot the problem with my flashlight. No fuses were blown. Circuit breaker's popped and starting the alternate voltage regulator did not help. I had to put the gear down manually. Because it was a very dark night and I wasn't sure of the down and locked position of the gear, I declared an emergency in order to have emergency equipment standing by. All in all, it was not a very good flight. Corrosion was found between the body and the negative battery cable ground. A publication says this has been found in at least one other aircraft this type. Inspection of this item would not be a very expensive item at annual.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA TWIN LOST ELECTRICAL ON APCH TO IDA AT NIGHT.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM GEG TO IDA ON ARWYS I ENCOUNTERED SEVERE DOWNDRAFTS AT 17000' AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN MY ASSIGNED ALT. I RPTED THIS TO CENTER AND WAS GIVEN A BLOCK ALT 15000-17000'. I DSNDED TO 15000', BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THIS ALT EITHER. THIS OCCURRED IN THE SALMON AREA. SINCE I WAS THEN RECEIVING IDA, I ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DSND TO 13000' AND GO DIRECT. UNFORTUNATELY, AS I WENT AROUND AT IDA, I EXPERIENCE A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I CLBED TO APPROX 9000' AND ATTEMPTED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROB WITH MY FLASHLIGHT. NO FUSES WERE BLOWN. CB'S POPPED AND STARTING THE ALTERNATE VOLTAGE REGULATOR DID NOT HELP. I HAD TO PUT THE GEAR DOWN MANUALLY. BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY DARK NIGHT AND I WASN'T SURE OF THE DOWN AND LOCKED POS OF THE GEAR, I DECLARED AN EMER IN ORDER TO HAVE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY. ALL IN ALL, IT WAS NOT A VERY GOOD FLT. CORROSION WAS FOUND BTWN THE BODY AND THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE GND. A PUBLICATION SAYS THIS HAS BEEN FOUND IN AT LEAST ONE OTHER ACFT THIS TYPE. INSPECTION OF THIS ITEM WOULD NOT BE A VERY EXPENSIVE ITEM AT ANNUAL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.