Narrative:

While en route to wichita, ks from sanford, fl, I experienced a loss of the transponder, followed soon after my the DME. ATC advised us of the loss of the transponder and we advised them of the loss of our DME. While reducing electrical load another failure occurred - the loss of the #2 navigation and communication. We were presently at 10000 ft MSL and advised ATC of our situation and he then asked our intentions. We asked for vectors for the approach into birmingham. We were told to expect vectors for ILS 5 and descend to 3000 ft MSL, we complied. As I was doing my prelndg checklist the localizer was coming in 1/2 scale and I started to initiate a turn to the on course localizer heading. I made the mistake that caused a total loss of electrical power - I turned on both fuel pumps which drained the battery dead. At that time I lost all navigation, communication, and electrical equipment. At this time a critical decision had to be made (I don't recall our altitude at that time). I did not have any radio navigation to use at the time and I was in total IMC, we entered the clouds at 3500 ft MSL so I knew VFR existed at 4000 MSL but could not go due the missed approach procedure without radio navigation. I then looked at my approach chart and decided to turn north 'right' crosswind leg from 050 degree to 140 degree and climb to 4000 ft and did just that. While climbing to 4000 ft I attempted to restore power and noted my mistake when I saw the fuel pumps in the on position. After approximately 6- 10 mins we reestablished radio communications and advised the controller of our position, and in VFR. The controller asked if we wanted an ASR approach, while we eagerly accepted. We then successfully completely the ASR approach and safely landed on runway 5. Things learned: the controller asked if we wanted to declare an emergency, I did not think it necessary. Hind sight is 20/20 and this was in fact a very foolish mistake in light of being in IFR, I should have instantly declared an emergency. The excellent help we received from the ATC facility in the air was priceless. If I would have declared an emergency and had to fill out paperwork it would have been a pleasure meeting the 2 controllers. Filling out paperwork should never be a factor in one's decision to declare an emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON IFR APCH IN IMC HAS ELECTRICAL FAILURE. ASR APCH GIVEN.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE TO WICHITA, KS FROM SANFORD, FL, I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF THE TRANSPONDER, FOLLOWED SOON AFTER MY THE DME. ATC ADVISED US OF THE LOSS OF THE TRANSPONDER AND WE ADVISED THEM OF THE LOSS OF OUR DME. WHILE REDUCING ELECTRICAL LOAD ANOTHER FAILURE OCCURRED - THE LOSS OF THE #2 NAV AND COM. WE WERE PRESENTLY AT 10000 FT MSL AND ADVISED ATC OF OUR SITUATION AND HE THEN ASKED OUR INTENTIONS. WE ASKED FOR VECTORS FOR THE APCH INTO BIRMINGHAM. WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT VECTORS FOR ILS 5 AND DSND TO 3000 FT MSL, WE COMPLIED. AS I WAS DOING MY PRELNDG CHKLIST THE LOC WAS COMING IN 1/2 SCALE AND I STARTED TO INITIATE A TURN TO THE ON COURSE LOC HDG. I MADE THE MISTAKE THAT CAUSED A TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR - I TURNED ON BOTH FUEL PUMPS WHICH DRAINED THE BATTERY DEAD. AT THAT TIME I LOST ALL NAV, COM, AND ELECTRICAL EQUIP. AT THIS TIME A CRITICAL DECISION HAD TO BE MADE (I DON'T RECALL OUR ALT AT THAT TIME). I DID NOT HAVE ANY RADIO NAV TO USE AT THE TIME AND I WAS IN TOTAL IMC, WE ENTERED THE CLOUDS AT 3500 FT MSL SO I KNEW VFR EXISTED AT 4000 MSL BUT COULD NOT GO DUE THE MISSED APCH PROC WITHOUT RADIO NAV. I THEN LOOKED AT MY APCH CHART AND DECIDED TO TURN N 'R' XWIND LEG FROM 050 DEG TO 140 DEG AND CLB TO 4000 FT AND DID JUST THAT. WHILE CLBING TO 4000 FT I ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE PWR AND NOTED MY MISTAKE WHEN I SAW THE FUEL PUMPS IN THE ON POS. AFTER APPROX 6- 10 MINS WE REESTABLISHED RADIO COMS AND ADVISED THE CTLR OF OUR POS, AND IN VFR. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WANTED AN ASR APCH, WHILE WE EAGERLY ACCEPTED. WE THEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETELY THE ASR APCH AND SAFELY LANDED ON RWY 5. THINGS LEARNED: THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER, I DID NOT THINK IT NECESSARY. HIND SIGHT IS 20/20 AND THIS WAS IN FACT A VERY FOOLISH MISTAKE IN LIGHT OF BEING IN IFR, I SHOULD HAVE INSTANTLY DECLARED AN EMER. THE EXCELLENT HELP WE RECEIVED FROM THE ATC FACILITY IN THE AIR WAS PRICELESS. IF I WOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER AND HAD TO FILL OUT PAPERWORK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PLEASURE MEETING THE 2 CTLRS. FILLING OUT PAPERWORK SHOULD NEVER BE A FACTOR IN ONE'S DECISION TO DECLARE AN EMER.

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.