Lost communication procedure followed after primary electrical supply problem.

Attributes
ACN	186159
Time
Date	199107
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cys
State Reference	WY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
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 : direct enroute airway : zdv
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1020 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	186159
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I departed pierre, sd, in an small aircraft. I climbed IFR through a 2000 ft cloud layer and leveled off at 10000 ft. There was very little talk on the minneapolis frequency. After an hour minneapolis handed me off to denver center who informed me that I would be out of radar for 15 or 20 mins. When 30 mins had passed I tried to call denver center with no response. I continued to track the VOR to scotts bluff, however, the battery in the plane was almost gone and the obs was very inaccurate. Using a sectional chart I figured out I had flown past scotts bluff and was passing over I-80 somewhere between sidney and kimball, northeast. In my opinion, continuing on to greeley was my best point of landing as soon as practical. I found out the next day the alternator in the plane had gone out en route and I was operating on the battery only. My transponder was set on 7700 and the test light was still flashing so I assumed center knew I had lost communication.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOST COM PROC FOLLOWED AFTER PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY PROBLEM.

Narrative: I DEPARTED PIERRE, SD, IN AN SMA. I CLBED IFR THROUGH A 2000 FT CLOUD LAYER AND LEVELED OFF AT 10000 FT. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TALK ON THE MINNEAPOLIS FREQ. AFTER AN HR MINNEAPOLIS HANDED ME OFF TO DENVER CENTER WHO INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD BE OUT OF RADAR FOR 15 OR 20 MINS. WHEN 30 MINS HAD PASSED I TRIED TO CALL DENVER CENTER WITH NO RESPONSE. I CONTINUED TO TRACK THE VOR TO SCOTTS BLUFF, HOWEVER, THE BATTERY IN THE PLANE WAS ALMOST GONE AND THE OBS WAS VERY INACCURATE. USING A SECTIONAL CHART I FIGURED OUT I HAD FLOWN PAST SCOTTS BLUFF AND WAS PASSING OVER I-80 SOMEWHERE BTWN SIDNEY AND KIMBALL, NE. IN MY OPINION, CONTINUING ON TO GREELEY WAS MY BEST POINT OF LNDG AS SOON AS PRACTICAL. I FOUND OUT THE NEXT DAY THE ALTERNATOR IN THE PLANE HAD GONE OUT ENRTE AND I WAS OPERATING ON THE BATTERY ONLY. MY TRANSPONDER WAS SET ON 7700 AND THE TEST LIGHT WAS STILL FLASHING SO I ASSUMED CENTER KNEW I HAD LOST 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.