GA pilot on IFR flight experiences loss of communications due aircraft electrical failure.

Attributes
ACN	179020
Time
Date	199105
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mfd airport : cak
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 5600
ASRS Report	179025
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight from rwn to duj at 9000' between mfd and cip when my radios began to act up. I checked and saw that my alternator was not charging like it should, so I tried to call ZOB several times but could not get through to them. So I squawked 7700 for 1 min, then 7600 for 15 mins. In the meantime I got into VFR conditions and descended down to land. In the descent a passenger handed me a hand-held radio and after several attempts was able to contact ZOB. I told them I would like to land at cak and they turned me over to approach control.I told them that I had radio problems and this was not an emergency, but I wanted to land at cak. Approach control gave me vectors for runway 23 and cleared me for a visibility approach to follow a cpr small transport Y, when on short final approach advised to keep speed up for following traffic and contact tower. When I tried to contact tower the hand-held would not work. The small transport cleared the runway and I landed west/O confirming there was a green light from the tower. I should have rocked my wings when I was on short final so the tower would have realized that I had lost all communications with them and confirmed for sure if I had a green light and if not, to go around and continue to circle till I received a green light. I called the tower after I got on the ground and he said there was not a problem other than the aircraft following us had to go around because of not having radio contact with us until we cleared the runway. We used light signals to taxi to the ramp. If this ever happens again even if on short final west/O a clearance to land, I will go around till I am sure I am cleared to land.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT ON IFR FLT EXPERIENCES LOSS OF COMS DUE ACFT ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT FROM RWN TO DUJ AT 9000' BTWN MFD AND CIP WHEN MY RADIOS BEGAN TO ACT UP. I CHKED AND SAW THAT MY ALTERNATOR WAS NOT CHARGING LIKE IT SHOULD, SO I TRIED TO CALL ZOB SEVERAL TIMES BUT COULD NOT GET THROUGH TO THEM. SO I SQUAWKED 7700 FOR 1 MIN, THEN 7600 FOR 15 MINS. IN THE MEANTIME I GOT INTO VFR CONDITIONS AND DSNDED DOWN TO LAND. IN THE DSNT A PAX HANDED ME A HAND-HELD RADIO AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WAS ABLE TO CONTACT ZOB. I TOLD THEM I WOULD LIKE TO LAND AT CAK AND THEY TURNED ME OVER TO APCH CTL.I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD RADIO PROBS AND THIS WAS NOT AN EMER, BUT I WANTED TO LAND AT CAK. APCH CTL GAVE ME VECTORS FOR RWY 23 AND CLRED ME FOR A VIS APCH TO FOLLOW A CPR SMT Y, WHEN ON SHORT FINAL APCH ADVISED TO KEEP SPD UP FOR FOLLOWING TFC AND CONTACT TWR. WHEN I TRIED TO CONTACT TWR THE HAND-HELD WOULD NOT WORK. THE SMT CLRED THE RWY AND I LANDED W/O CONFIRMING THERE WAS A GREEN LIGHT FROM THE TWR. I SHOULD HAVE ROCKED MY WINGS WHEN I WAS ON SHORT FINAL SO THE TWR WOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT I HAD LOST ALL COMS WITH THEM AND CONFIRMED FOR SURE IF I HAD A GREEN LIGHT AND IF NOT, TO GO AROUND AND CONTINUE TO CIRCLE TILL I RECEIVED A GREEN LIGHT. I CALLED THE TWR AFTER I GOT ON THE GND AND HE SAID THERE WAS NOT A PROB OTHER THAN THE ACFT FOLLOWING US HAD TO GO AROUND BECAUSE OF NOT HAVING RADIO CONTACT WITH US UNTIL WE CLRED THE RWY. WE USED LIGHT SIGNALS TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. IF THIS EVER HAPPENS AGAIN EVEN IF ON SHORT FINAL W/O A CLRNC TO LAND, I WILL GO AROUND TILL I AM SURE I AM CLRED TO LAND.

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.