Alternator failure at night overloads pilot and he penetrates arsa.

Attributes
ACN	137656
Time
Date	199002
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mcc airport : sac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mcc tower : mcc tower : oak
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	137656
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approximately 7 mi southwest of mcclellan I requested and switched to mcclellan tower. Upon reaching the tower and for the second time that evening, my alternator failed. I advised and obtained from the tower the permission to hold my present position while taking care of my problem. I turned the avionics master switch and all lights off to attempt to recycle the alternator. I tried to recontact the tower with the alternator off and the selector switch on emergency but did not copy any response. I made several additional attempts to contact the tower and sacramento approach control. I finally recycled my alternator and regained my lights and avionics. I was between mather and mcclellan at 1800'. I contacted sac approach and received a vector to mcclellan. While experiencing electrical malfunction I became disoriented. I tried to take care of the problem and my altitude control and position control became erratic. I climbed into the arsa and deviated from where I should have been. I studies the sac arsa and I will get some more emergency procedures and night training.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTERNATOR FAILURE AT NIGHT OVERLOADS PLT AND HE PENETRATES ARSA.

Narrative: APPROX 7 MI SW OF MCCLELLAN I REQUESTED AND SWITCHED TO MCCLELLAN TWR. UPON REACHING THE TWR AND FOR THE SECOND TIME THAT EVENING, MY ALTERNATOR FAILED. I ADVISED AND OBTAINED FROM THE TWR THE PERMISSION TO HOLD MY PRESENT POSITION WHILE TAKING CARE OF MY PROBLEM. I TURNED THE AVIONICS MASTER SWITCH AND ALL LIGHTS OFF TO ATTEMPT TO RECYCLE THE ALTERNATOR. I TRIED TO RECONTACT THE TWR WITH THE ALTERNATOR OFF AND THE SELECTOR SWITCH ON EMER BUT DID NOT COPY ANY RESPONSE. I MADE SEVERAL ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE TWR AND SACRAMENTO APCH CTL. I FINALLY RECYCLED MY ALTERNATOR AND REGAINED MY LIGHTS AND AVIONICS. I WAS BETWEEN MATHER AND MCCLELLAN AT 1800'. I CONTACTED SAC APCH AND RECEIVED A VECTOR TO MCCLELLAN. WHILE EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION I BECAME DISORIENTED. I TRIED TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM AND MY ALT CONTROL AND POSITION CONTROL BECAME ERRATIC. I CLIMBED INTO THE ARSA AND DEVIATED FROM WHERE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I STUDIES THE SAC ARSA AND I WILL GET SOME MORE EMER PROCS AND NIGHT TRAINING.

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.