IFR small aircraft pilot experiences total electrical failure.

Attributes
ACN	158611
Time
Date	199009
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ocn airport : czq
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v23
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	158611
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

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!

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.