Narrative:

Left lajitas airport for odessa, tx (schlemeyer airport), a 2 hour flight. Terrain between the 2 airports being 6900 ft maximum, I climbed to 7500 ft and flew at 010 degrees which put me above the 7300 ft top of the clouds. I felt unsafe being so close to the clouds and climbed to 9500 ft. I flew for about 1 1/2 hours, expecting the cloud cover to break up as I flew north, but it did not. On our way to lajitas, 2 days prior, we noticed the alternator was not charging, so I flew into fort stockton, tx, (pecos county airport) for fuel and a battery charge. Now by this time I am wondering how much charge I have left. I change frequencys on my communication radio until I hear someone talking on 121.9. I ask if anyone can hear me and a man says yes he can hear me. I tell him about low battery and approximately 1 hour fuel supply remaining. He advises to squawk xxab and identify. I do but he can not receive. He asks me to reset again and identify. This time he receives me and tells me I am 70 mi from midland and to try approach there on 124.6, but if no answer come back to his frequency (121.9). Midland said to squawk xxad, but could not receive so instructed me to squawk 7700. After a few mins flight, they said they had me on radar and to turn off my navigation radios to conserve battery, 57 mi south of airport, continue 360 degree to airport. After that, they could not hear me, but I heard all their instructions until about 20 mi out, so I came through the clouds and could see odessa and midland airport, landing at midland regional for fuel and a battery charge. Had 7 1/2 gallons fuel and plane uses 9-10 gpm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA MADE A VFR CLB TO ON TOP WITH NO ALTERNATOR AND A WEAK BATTERY. REQUIRED FLT ASSIST TO GET DOWN WHEN FUEL REMAINING BECAME A CONSIDERATION.

Narrative: LEFT LAJITAS ARPT FOR ODESSA, TX (SCHLEMEYER ARPT), A 2 HR FLT. TERRAIN BTWN THE 2 ARPTS BEING 6900 FT MAX, I CLBED TO 7500 FT AND FLEW AT 010 DEGS WHICH PUT ME ABOVE THE 7300 FT TOP OF THE CLOUDS. I FELT UNSAFE BEING SO CLOSE TO THE CLOUDS AND CLBED TO 9500 FT. I FLEW FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS, EXPECTING THE CLOUD COVER TO BREAK UP AS I FLEW N, BUT IT DID NOT. ON OUR WAY TO LAJITAS, 2 DAYS PRIOR, WE NOTICED THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT CHARGING, SO I FLEW INTO FORT STOCKTON, TX, (PECOS COUNTY ARPT) FOR FUEL AND A BATTERY CHARGE. NOW BY THIS TIME I AM WONDERING HOW MUCH CHARGE I HAVE LEFT. I CHANGE FREQS ON MY COM RADIO UNTIL I HEAR SOMEONE TALKING ON 121.9. I ASK IF ANYONE CAN HEAR ME AND A MAN SAYS YES HE CAN HEAR ME. I TELL HIM ABOUT LOW BATTERY AND APPROX 1 HR FUEL SUPPLY REMAINING. HE ADVISES TO SQUAWK XXAB AND IDENT. I DO BUT HE CAN NOT RECEIVE. HE ASKS ME TO RESET AGAIN AND IDENT. THIS TIME HE RECEIVES ME AND TELLS ME I AM 70 MI FROM MIDLAND AND TO TRY APCH THERE ON 124.6, BUT IF NO ANSWER COME BACK TO HIS FREQ (121.9). MIDLAND SAID TO SQUAWK XXAD, BUT COULD NOT RECEIVE SO INSTRUCTED ME TO SQUAWK 7700. AFTER A FEW MINS FLT, THEY SAID THEY HAD ME ON RADAR AND TO TURN OFF MY NAV RADIOS TO CONSERVE BATTERY, 57 MI S OF ARPT, CONTINUE 360 DEG TO ARPT. AFTER THAT, THEY COULD NOT HEAR ME, BUT I HEARD ALL THEIR INSTRUCTIONS UNTIL ABOUT 20 MI OUT, SO I CAME THROUGH THE CLOUDS AND COULD SEE ODESSA AND MIDLAND ARPT, LNDG AT MIDLAND REGIONAL FOR FUEL AND A BATTERY CHARGE. HAD 7 1/2 GALLONS FUEL AND PLANE USES 9-10 GPM.

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.