 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Turbulent flight pilot may have bumped headset against overhead switches. Generator in off position. Made NORDO approach. Restored generator on final and received landing clearance.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 147249 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199006 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : las airport : vgt |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : las |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach descent other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 15800 flight time type : 50 |
| ASRS Report | 147249 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
During flight from bfl to vgt, we had occasional turbulence and my head/headset bumped the overhead panel (switches) a few times. I think my headset bumped the generator switch to the off position (or I may have turned the generator off by mistake). The important fact is the generator was turned off and I failed to see the problem until the battery was depleted and I had a total failure. Electrical (generator) power was restored on final and a landing clearance was received. The failure caused intermittent, faulty, no mode C information and added to controller workload. Contributing to slow analysis/solution of problem were need to maintain traffic lookout, intermittent radios (dying battery) and location of ammeter at right side of overhead panel. I will modify my airplane by adding guards to battery and generator switches, adding a generator fail light or move ammeter to engine instrument panel. I will also try to 'fly smarter' with better and more thorough cross checks.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: TURBULENT FLT PLT MAY HAVE BUMPED HEADSET AGAINST OVERHEAD SWITCHES. GENERATOR IN OFF POSITION. MADE NORDO APCH. RESTORED GENERATOR ON FINAL AND RECEIVED LNDG CLRNC.
Narrative: DURING FLT FROM BFL TO VGT, WE HAD OCCASIONAL TURB AND MY HEAD/HEADSET BUMPED THE OVERHEAD PANEL (SWITCHES) A FEW TIMES. I THINK MY HEADSET BUMPED THE GENERATOR SWITCH TO THE OFF POS (OR I MAY HAVE TURNED THE GENERATOR OFF BY MISTAKE). THE IMPORTANT FACT IS THE GENERATOR WAS TURNED OFF AND I FAILED TO SEE THE PROB UNTIL THE BATTERY WAS DEPLETED AND I HAD A TOTAL FAILURE. ELECTRICAL (GENERATOR) PWR WAS RESTORED ON FINAL AND A LNDG CLRNC WAS RECEIVED. THE FAILURE CAUSED INTERMITTENT, FAULTY, NO MODE C INFO AND ADDED TO CTLR WORKLOAD. CONTRIBUTING TO SLOW ANALYSIS/SOLUTION OF PROB WERE NEED TO MAINTAIN TFC LOOKOUT, INTERMITTENT RADIOS (DYING BATTERY) AND LOCATION OF AMMETER AT R SIDE OF OVERHEAD PANEL. I WILL MODIFY MY AIRPLANE BY ADDING GUARDS TO BATTERY AND GENERATOR SWITCHES, ADDING A GENERATOR FAIL LIGHT OR MOVE AMMETER TO ENG INST PANEL. I WILL ALSO TRY TO 'FLY SMARTER' WITH BETTER AND MORE THOROUGH CROSS CHKS.
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.