GA small aircraft lost electrical power on IFR flight and used cellular phone to communicate with ZS...

Attributes
ACN	182648
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eln
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zse
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 22804
ASRS Report	182648
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

IFR flight plan mso-pae. Alternator failed leading to loss of communication with ZSE. A portable phone (cellular) was aboard. A call to the nearest FSS using 1-800-WX brief was made. The situation was explained and a direct phone # to ZSE was given. The situation was discussed with ZSE. WX information was given for the destination and conditions indicated that a VFR descent could not be made at intended destination. A decision was made by pilot to cancel IFR flight plan and proceed VFR to eln. The center was so advised by phone (portable). Until cancellation the aircraft maintained ATC cleared altitude and route. Aircraft was in VFR conditions above cloud when alternator failed. Eln was reporting clear skies and unlimited visibility. A normal landing was made at eln and there was no damage to aircraft. Sea FSS was notified by phone that aircraft was safely on the ground at eln. Suggestion: with rapidly growing popularity of portable cellular phones, it would be a good idea to make center phone #south available on charts and in commercial manuals. In this incident, all relevant parties were aware of circumstances and little inconvenience was caused, all due to the availability of this phone link.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LOST ELECTRICAL POWER ON IFR FLT AND USED CELLULAR PHONE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ZSE.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN MSO-PAE. ALTERNATOR FAILED LEADING TO LOSS OF COM WITH ZSE. A PORTABLE PHONE (CELLULAR) WAS ABOARD. A CALL TO THE NEAREST FSS USING 1-800-WX BRIEF WAS MADE. THE SITUATION WAS EXPLAINED AND A DIRECT PHONE # TO ZSE WAS GIVEN. THE SITUATION WAS DISCUSSED WITH ZSE. WX INFO WAS GIVEN FOR THE DEST AND CONDITIONS INDICATED THAT A VFR DSNT COULD NOT BE MADE AT INTENDED DEST. A DECISION WAS MADE BY PLT TO CANCEL IFR FLT PLAN AND PROCEED VFR TO ELN. THE CENTER WAS SO ADVISED BY PHONE (PORTABLE). UNTIL CANCELLATION THE ACFT MAINTAINED ATC CLRED ALT AND RTE. ACFT WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS ABOVE CLOUD WHEN ALTERNATOR FAILED. ELN WAS RPTING CLR SKIES AND UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE AT ELN AND THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO ACFT. SEA FSS WAS NOTIFIED BY PHONE THAT ACFT WAS SAFELY ON THE GND AT ELN. SUGGESTION: WITH RAPIDLY GROWING POPULARITY OF PORTABLE CELLULAR PHONES, IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE CENTER PHONE #S AVAILABLE ON CHARTS AND IN COMMERCIAL MANUALS. IN THIS INCIDENT, ALL RELEVANT PARTIES WERE AWARE OF CIRCUMSTANCES AND LITTLE INCONVENIENCE WAS CAUSED, ALL DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THIS PHONE LINK.

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.

GA small aircraft lost electrical power on IFR flight and used cellular phone to communicate with ZSE.