 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Small aircraft pilot makes precautionary landing at intermediate airport when aircraft suffers a primary electrical supply failure.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 167058 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199101 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : vuz |
| State Reference | AL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2400 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : bhm |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other landing other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : bhm |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 167058 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I experienced complete electrical failure over a solid overcast layer. This was due to alternator failure and battery drain. After estimating my position and descending to the MEA (2400') and remaining IMC, I initiated a climb above the overcast layer and made a 180 degree turn to return to the last known VFR conditions. After VFR conditions found, I followed an interstate in attempting to find the closest airport (gadsden, al). After manually cranking down the gear, we were able to land safely at gadsden, and notify the nearest FSS by phone of the situation and action taken. Until this problem, I was unaware that a very slight discharge shown on the ammeter will result in a batter discharge. The alternator/electrical system had supposedly been repaired in asheville, nc prior to departure. The use of a hand-held navigation/communication unit could have enabled me to continue the IFR flight with course guidance and communication.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA PLT MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT INTERMEDIATE ARPT WHEN ACFT SUFFERS A PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY FAILURE.
Narrative: I EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE OVER A SOLID OVCST LAYER. THIS WAS DUE TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE AND BATTERY DRAIN. AFTER ESTIMATING MY POS AND DSNDING TO THE MEA (2400') AND REMAINING IMC, I INITIATED A CLB ABOVE THE OVCST LAYER AND MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO RETURN TO THE LAST KNOWN VFR CONDITIONS. AFTER VFR CONDITIONS FOUND, I FOLLOWED AN INTERSTATE IN ATTEMPTING TO FIND THE CLOSEST ARPT (GADSDEN, AL). AFTER MANUALLY CRANKING DOWN THE GEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO LAND SAFELY AT GADSDEN, AND NOTIFY THE NEAREST FSS BY PHONE OF THE SITUATION AND ACTION TAKEN. UNTIL THIS PROB, I WAS UNAWARE THAT A VERY SLIGHT DISCHARGE SHOWN ON THE AMMETER WILL RESULT IN A BATTER DISCHARGE. THE ALTERNATOR/ELECTRICAL SYS HAD SUPPOSEDLY BEEN REPAIRED IN ASHEVILLE, NC PRIOR TO DEP. THE USE OF A HAND-HELD NAV/COM UNIT COULD HAVE ENABLED ME TO CONTINUE THE IFR FLT WITH COURSE GUIDANCE AND COM.
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.