A private small aircraft pilot had an electrical problem in IMC. He landed off airport.

Attributes
ACN	214688
Time
Date	199207
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 2000 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 318 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	214688
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After a normal runup, all engine and electrical instruments were indicating a normal reading. I proceeded to takeoff. I was then switched over to ZDC and was told on course and to identify (transponder). Washington was having problems picking up my squawk code. By this time I was at about 2000-3000 ft MSL. While talking to washington, my transponder went dead and I used a cross radial off of roa to indicate my position. When I reached VFR conditions, I called lyh and gave a report and then I lost all electrical power. I decided to go to rdu and land since WX was better south. I used my handheld radio to talk to washington. After about 1 hour, washington had radar contact and vectored me to rdu. I was then handed off to rdu approach and cleared to 5000 ft MSL with another vector. Then I was cleared to 3000 ft and to expect the ASR approach to runway 23L when my handheld went dead. I had partial ground contact and decided to descend since the elevation was about 600 ft and flat. I broke out about 2000 ft AGL. I continued to fly towards the airport on my last vector but decided to return where I last had contact with raleigh in case something else happened. I saw a suitable field, overflew it to verify the conditions of the field and returned for an off-field landing. I performed a normal off-field landing. The aircraft was not injured or damaged as well as the pilot. I then went to a house to call the FSS at rdu.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PRIVATE SMA PLT HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN IMC. HE LANDED OFF ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER A NORMAL RUNUP, ALL ENG AND ELECTRICAL INSTS WERE INDICATING A NORMAL READING. I PROCEEDED TO TKOF. I WAS THEN SWITCHED OVER TO ZDC AND WAS TOLD ON COURSE AND TO IDENT (TRANSPONDER). WASHINGTON WAS HAVING PROBLEMS PICKING UP MY SQUAWK CODE. BY THIS TIME I WAS AT ABOUT 2000-3000 FT MSL. WHILE TALKING TO WASHINGTON, MY TRANSPONDER WENT DEAD AND I USED A CROSS RADIAL OFF OF ROA TO INDICATE MY POS. WHEN I REACHED VFR CONDITIONS, I CALLED LYH AND GAVE A RPT AND THEN I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR. I DECIDED TO GO TO RDU AND LAND SINCE WX WAS BETTER S. I USED MY HANDHELD RADIO TO TALK TO WASHINGTON. AFTER ABOUT 1 HR, WASHINGTON HAD RADAR CONTACT AND VECTORED ME TO RDU. I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO RDU APCH AND CLRED TO 5000 FT MSL WITH ANOTHER VECTOR. THEN I WAS CLRED TO 3000 FT AND TO EXPECT THE ASR APCH TO RWY 23L WHEN MY HANDHELD WENT DEAD. I HAD PARTIAL GND CONTACT AND DECIDED TO DSND SINCE THE ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 600 FT AND FLAT. I BROKE OUT ABOUT 2000 FT AGL. I CONTINUED TO FLY TOWARDS THE ARPT ON MY LAST VECTOR BUT DECIDED TO RETURN WHERE I LAST HAD CONTACT WITH RALEIGH IN CASE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED. I SAW A SUITABLE FIELD, OVERFLEW IT TO VERIFY THE CONDITIONS OF THE FIELD AND RETURNED FOR AN OFF-FIELD LNDG. I PERFORMED A NORMAL OFF-FIELD LNDG. THE ACFT WAS NOT INJURED OR DAMAGED AS WELL AS THE PLT. I THEN WENT TO A HOUSE TO CALL THE FSS AT RDU.

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.