Narrative:

At 6000', 2 DME northwest along V23, experienced a complete electrical failure. No radio, no VOR navigation, etc. Apparently voltage regulator went to intermittent failure after normal ground runup. Takeoff, gear retract, all radios apparently operated on battery. Battery died about 18 mins later, never got a red light. Was off and on gauges at the time and luckily broke out into VMC on arwy. Was able to make uneventful VFR approach and landing at czq. In the 10 mins after failure shut off of all battery regained enough to power 1 communication radio. Was able to talk to czq tower situation. Had to hand pump gear down. A potentially catastrophic safety situation would have occurred of I had been solid on the gauges in IMC. No navigation, no communication in the san diego to la corridor with 1000' mountains all around. This experience makes a very good case for hand-held radios!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR SMA PLT EXPERIENCES TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: AT 6000', 2 DME NW ALONG V23, EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. NO RADIO, NO VOR NAVIGATION, ETC. APPARENTLY VOLTAGE REGULATOR WENT TO INTERMITTENT FAILURE AFTER NORMAL GND RUNUP. TKOF, GEAR RETRACT, ALL RADIOS APPARENTLY OPERATED ON BATTERY. BATTERY DIED ABOUT 18 MINS LATER, NEVER GOT A RED LIGHT. WAS OFF AND ON GAUGES AT THE TIME AND LUCKILY BROKE OUT INTO VMC ON ARWY. WAS ABLE TO MAKE UNEVENTFUL VFR APCH AND LNDG AT CZQ. IN THE 10 MINS AFTER FAILURE SHUT OFF OF ALL BATTERY REGAINED ENOUGH TO PWR 1 COM RADIO. WAS ABLE TO TALK TO CZQ TWR SITUATION. HAD TO HAND PUMP GEAR DOWN. A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC SAFETY SITUATION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED OF I HAD BEEN SOLID ON THE GAUGES IN IMC. NO NAV, NO COM IN THE SAN DIEGO TO LA CORRIDOR WITH 1000' MOUNTAINS ALL AROUND. THIS EXPERIENCE MAKES A VERY GOOD CASE FOR HAND-HELD RADIOS!

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.