Small aircraft experiences electrical system failure.

Attributes
ACN	145809
Time
Date	199005
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdg
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rdg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 250 flight time type : 185
ASRS Report	145809
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While approaching rdg for landing, and after making initial contact with rdg approach control, I experienced a total loss of electrical power. After investigating the problem, I determined that the alternator had failed, running the battery down. By this time I was close to the airport, and since visibility was very good, decided to merge into the traffic pattern and land. I manually lowered the landing gear, but with no electricity did not get a gear down and locked indicator light. With no flaps (electric flaps), the aircraft assumed an unusually nose high attitude after flare-out, which gave me the impression of being lower than I probably was. Since I could not be sure that the gear was locked in place, and after settling down over the runway as low as I dared to go west/O feeling the wheels touch, I decided to add power and go around again. After rechking the landing gear for maximum manual extension, and rechking the visibility indicator on the floor, I was more confident that the gear was indeed down and locked. On my second approach I completed the landing. After parking the aircraft, I called the control tower and spoke to the supervisor. I explained to him what I have just described, and when asked what I intended to do about departing, I told him that I intended to get the problem (electrical) repaired. I had the repairs done, and my return flight was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA EXPERIENCES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING RDG FOR LNDG, AND AFTER MAKING INITIAL CONTACT WITH RDG APCH CTL, I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE PROB, I DETERMINED THAT THE ALTERNATOR HAD FAILED, RUNNING THE BATTERY DOWN. BY THIS TIME I WAS CLOSE TO THE ARPT, AND SINCE VISIBILITY WAS VERY GOOD, DECIDED TO MERGE INTO THE TFC PATTERN AND LAND. I MANUALLY LOWERED THE LNDG GEAR, BUT WITH NO ELECTRICITY DID NOT GET A GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATOR LIGHT. WITH NO FLAPS (ELECTRIC FLAPS), THE ACFT ASSUMED AN UNUSUALLY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AFTER FLARE-OUT, WHICH GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION OF BEING LOWER THAN I PROBABLY WAS. SINCE I COULD NOT BE SURE THAT THE GEAR WAS LOCKED IN PLACE, AND AFTER SETTLING DOWN OVER THE RWY AS LOW AS I DARED TO GO W/O FEELING THE WHEELS TOUCH, I DECIDED TO ADD PWR AND GO AROUND AGAIN. AFTER RECHKING THE LNDG GEAR FOR MAX MANUAL EXTENSION, AND RECHKING THE VIS INDICATOR ON THE FLOOR, I WAS MORE CONFIDENT THAT THE GEAR WAS INDEED DOWN AND LOCKED. ON MY SECOND APCH I COMPLETED THE LNDG. AFTER PARKING THE ACFT, I CALLED THE CTL TWR AND SPOKE TO THE SUPVR. I EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED, AND WHEN ASKED WHAT I INTENDED TO DO ABOUT DEPARTING, I TOLD HIM THAT I INTENDED TO GET THE PROB (ELECTRICAL) REPAIRED. I HAD THE REPAIRS DONE, AND MY RETURN FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.