Narrative:

Arrived at emporia, ks after unsuccessful try to fly to ponca city, ok, VFR. IFR conditions east of wichita, ks with 400-500 ft ceilings prevented continuation although reported and forecast ceilings at ponca city were 2000 ft. Refueled at emporia and filed IFR. Starter would not turn over engine enough to start. Had new overhaul and thought engine too tight when hot. Booster battery got it started (should have known then that I had a problem). Departed on IFR pilot plan. Near ponca city had trouble talking to center. Told center if I lost all electrical I would fly north to VFR. Was between layers at the time. Center said if navigation side of radio was working I could shoot the approach, if missed then go north. I agreed and center cleared me for the VOR-a approach. Communications were almost nonexistent but approach was successful and center helpful. Failed to notice ammeter discharge on preflight failed to associate hard start at emporia. Appreciated ZKC assistance and patience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON AIR LIFE LINE FLT HAS DETERIORATION OF ELECTRICAL PWR. ATC CLRS FOR APCH WITH MISSED APCH INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: ARRIVED AT EMPORIA, KS AFTER UNSUCCESSFUL TRY TO FLY TO PONCA CITY, OK, VFR. IFR CONDITIONS E OF WICHITA, KS WITH 400-500 FT CEILINGS PREVENTED CONTINUATION ALTHOUGH RPTED AND FORECAST CEILINGS AT PONCA CITY WERE 2000 FT. REFUELED AT EMPORIA AND FILED IFR. STARTER WOULD NOT TURN OVER ENG ENOUGH TO START. HAD NEW OVERHAUL AND THOUGHT ENG TOO TIGHT WHEN HOT. BOOSTER BATTERY GOT IT STARTED (SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THEN THAT I HAD A PROBLEM). DEPARTED ON IFR PLT PLAN. NEAR PONCA CITY HAD TROUBLE TALKING TO CTR. TOLD CTR IF I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL I WOULD FLY N TO VFR. WAS BTWN LAYERS AT THE TIME. CTR SAID IF NAV SIDE OF RADIO WAS WORKING I COULD SHOOT THE APCH, IF MISSED THEN GO N. I AGREED AND CTR CLRED ME FOR THE VOR-A APCH. COMS WERE ALMOST NONEXISTENT BUT APCH WAS SUCCESSFUL AND CTR HELPFUL. FAILED TO NOTICE AMMETER DISCHARGE ON PREFLT FAILED TO ASSOCIATE HARD START AT EMPORIA. APPRECIATED ZKC ASSISTANCE AND PATIENCE.

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.