Low time pilot in small aircraft experiences primary loss of electrical and lands at the nearest airport, penetrating a TCA in the process.

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Attributes
ACN	148085
Time
Date	199006
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fgt airport : y12
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 960 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 180 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	148085
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was en route from den to osh via rapid city, sd and pierre, sd (as a fuel stop) somewhere between pir and fgt I lost my alternator which engaged battery backup. Within that 301 NM my battery drained. This caused my fuel gauges to read low. Observing this, I cancelled IFR to land at airlake report for fuel. I received clearance from approach and frequency change approved. I switched to unicom for traffic advisories switched on landing lights. Fuel pump and additional collision avoidance lighting, all which worsened the situation (unknowingly). I tried to raise unicom but to no avail. I tested the radios-dead, navigation-dead, ammeter-dead. I shut down all unnecessary equipment, tried radios-dead. I spiraled down out of TCA and traffic pattern but not out of sight of airport. I observed traffic (in pattern) and saw no other traffic in the area. I entered the pattern on a 45 degree to the downwind and landed west/O incident. I called minneapolis approach by phone and explained the situation. They commended me and thanked me for the call. I would have left it at that, but a friend mentioned the possible infraction, so here we are.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW TIME PLT IN SMA EXPERIENCES PRIMARY LOSS OF ELECTRICAL AND LANDS AT THE NEAREST ARPT, PENETRATING A TCA IN THE PROCESS.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE FROM DEN TO OSH VIA RAPID CITY, SD AND PIERRE, SD (AS A FUEL STOP) SOMEWHERE BTWN PIR AND FGT I LOST MY ALTERNATOR WHICH ENGAGED BATTERY BACKUP. WITHIN THAT 301 NM MY BATTERY DRAINED. THIS CAUSED MY FUEL GAUGES TO READ LOW. OBSERVING THIS, I CANCELLED IFR TO LAND AT AIRLAKE RPT FOR FUEL. I RECEIVED CLRNC FROM APCH AND FREQ CHANGE APPROVED. I SWITCHED TO UNICOM FOR TFC ADVISORIES SWITCHED ON LNDG LIGHTS. FUEL PUMP AND ADDITIONAL COLLISION AVOIDANCE LIGHTING, ALL WHICH WORSENED THE SITUATION (UNKNOWINGLY). I TRIED TO RAISE UNICOM BUT TO NO AVAIL. I TESTED THE RADIOS-DEAD, NAV-DEAD, AMMETER-DEAD. I SHUT DOWN ALL UNNECESSARY EQUIP, TRIED RADIOS-DEAD. I SPIRALED DOWN OUT OF TCA AND TFC PATTERN BUT NOT OUT OF SIGHT OF ARPT. I OBSERVED TFC (IN PATTERN) AND SAW NO OTHER TFC IN THE AREA. I ENTERED THE PATTERN ON A 45 DEG TO THE DOWNWIND AND LANDED W/O INCIDENT. I CALLED MINNEAPOLIS APCH BY PHONE AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. THEY COMMENDED ME AND THANKED ME FOR THE CALL. I WOULD HAVE LEFT IT AT THAT, BUT A FRIEND MENTIONED THE POSSIBLE INFRACTION, SO HERE WE ARE.

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.