Small aircraft loses primary electrical supply on night approach to runway and establishes contact with tower on mobile phone for landing clearance.

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Attributes
ACN	144134
Time
Date	199004
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sat
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sat
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 36 flight time total : 390 flight time type : 137
ASRS Report	144134
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On 1/2 mi final night VFR to runway 12R sat, tower cleared us to land #2 behind an large transport. Cut power, slowed to 120 mph, dropped gear and promptly lost all electric except single strobe. Went around to north. Established voice contact with tower through mobile phone. Tower confirmed gear was down and cleared to land 12L. Landed approximately 15 with approximately 4 hours fuel remaining. Alternator failed and was replaced 5/90. Note: mechanic reported alternator had approximately 500 hours.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOSES PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY ON NIGHT APCH TO RWY AND ESTABLISHES CONTACT WITH TWR ON MOBILE PHONE FOR LNDG CLRNC.

Narrative: ON 1/2 MI FINAL NIGHT VFR TO RWY 12R SAT, TWR CLRED US TO LAND #2 BEHIND AN LGT. CUT PWR, SLOWED TO 120 MPH, DROPPED GEAR AND PROMPTLY LOST ALL ELECTRIC EXCEPT SINGLE STROBE. WENT AROUND TO N. ESTABLISHED VOICE CONTACT WITH TWR THROUGH MOBILE PHONE. TWR CONFIRMED GEAR WAS DOWN AND CLRED TO LAND 12L. LANDED APPROX 15 WITH APPROX 4 HRS FUEL REMAINING. ALTERNATOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED 5/90. NOTE: MECH RPTED ALTERNATOR HAD APPROX 500 HRS.

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.