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Electrical failure on first departure, temporary repair, complete electrical failure second departure.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 195291 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199111 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bfi |
| State Reference | WA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : bfi tracon : fai |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : takeoff other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 195291 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : vfr in imc |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
I filed IFR for practice approachs to tiw, olm, pwt, pae and bfi. On takeoff from boeing field (bfi) the 'alternator out' light came on at about 400 ft AGL. I then cancelled IFR, lowered the landing gear, received landing clearance, and landed after flying downwind. I then returned to the hangar and started looking for the problem. I noticed that the wire to the field winding of the alternator was contacting a sharp edge of metal and had worn through. (As an aside, I am an electrical engineer by education and understand the aircraft charging system.) I wrapped the worn through portion of the wire and started the engine. Everything checked out and after receiving my clearance. After takeoff all electrical power was promptly lost, although I had time to advise tower and cancel IFR before radio contact was lost. I flew downwind VFR, extended downwind and flew a few 360's while I cranked down the gear before landing. Tower, not knowing where I was, apparently diverted approachs into bfi and possibly sea.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON FIRST DEP, TEMPORARY REPAIR, COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE SECOND DEP.
Narrative: I FILED IFR FOR PRACTICE APCHS TO TIW, OLM, PWT, PAE AND BFI. ON TKOF FROM BOEING FIELD (BFI) THE 'ALTERNATOR OUT' LIGHT CAME ON AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL. I THEN CANCELLED IFR, LOWERED THE LNDG GEAR, RECEIVED LNDG CLRNC, AND LANDED AFTER FLYING DOWNWIND. I THEN RETURNED TO THE HANGAR AND STARTED LOOKING FOR THE PROBLEM. I NOTICED THAT THE WIRE TO THE FIELD WINDING OF THE ALTERNATOR WAS CONTACTING A SHARP EDGE OF METAL AND HAD WORN THROUGH. (AS AN ASIDE, I AM AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER BY EDUCATION AND UNDERSTAND THE ACFT CHARGING SYS.) I WRAPPED THE WORN THROUGH PORTION OF THE WIRE AND STARTED THE ENG. EVERYTHING CHKED OUT AND AFTER RECEIVING MY CLRNC. AFTER TKOF ALL ELECTRICAL PWR WAS PROMPTLY LOST, ALTHOUGH I HAD TIME TO ADVISE TWR AND CANCEL IFR BEFORE RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. I FLEW DOWNWIND VFR, EXTENDED DOWNWIND AND FLEW A FEW 360'S WHILE I CRANKED DOWN THE GEAR BEFORE LNDG. TWR, NOT KNOWING WHERE I WAS, APPARENTLY DIVERTED APCHS INTO BFI AND POSSIBLY SEA.
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.