Corp aircraft has electrical failure. Pilot lands without clearance at airport within czn.

Attributes
ACN	157191
Time
Date	199009
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jst
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jst
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	157191
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	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While en route from seg to seven springs, PA, VFR, to pick up company personnel, I noticed a very high charge rate on the amp meter (50 amps). I shut all electrical equipment down and held at seven springs waiting for ground fog to lift (1 hour), all the time trying to determine the problem. As the electrical problem continued and I thought I could smell an overheated battery, I elected to divert to altoona, PA, which last reported 2000 scattered, 5000 broken, 5 mi visibility. At this time, I had a complete electrical failure and was staying beneath a broken later of clouds to remain VFR. I saw the johnstown airport from at least 3 mi out and landed there. The FAA called me and asked why I landed in an IFR control zone. I explained my problem and they told me after checking with ATC that there would be no action taken. Investigation at my home base maintenance facility revealed failure of voltage regulator and over voltage regulator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP ACFT HAS ELECTRICAL FAILURE. PLT LANDS WITHOUT CLRNC AT ARPT WITHIN CZN.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM SEG TO SEVEN SPRINGS, PA, VFR, TO PICK UP COMPANY PERSONNEL, I NOTICED A VERY HIGH CHARGE RATE ON THE AMP METER (50 AMPS). I SHUT ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIP DOWN AND HELD AT SEVEN SPRINGS WAITING FOR GND FOG TO LIFT (1 HR), ALL THE TIME TRYING TO DETERMINE THE PROB. AS THE ELECTRICAL PROB CONTINUED AND I THOUGHT I COULD SMELL AN OVERHEATED BATTERY, I ELECTED TO DIVERT TO ALTOONA, PA, WHICH LAST RPTED 2000 SCATTERED, 5000 BROKEN, 5 MI VISIBILITY. AT THIS TIME, I HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND WAS STAYING BENEATH A BROKEN LATER OF CLOUDS TO REMAIN VFR. I SAW THE JOHNSTOWN ARPT FROM AT LEAST 3 MI OUT AND LANDED THERE. THE FAA CALLED ME AND ASKED WHY I LANDED IN AN IFR CTL ZONE. I EXPLAINED MY PROB AND THEY TOLD ME AFTER CHKING WITH ATC THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ACTION TAKEN. INVESTIGATION AT MY HOME BASE MAINT FAC REVEALED FAILURE OF VOLTAGE REGULATOR AND OVER VOLTAGE REGULATOR.

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.