<< >> NASA ASRS Report 223477, October 1992

Private pilot of small aircraft aircraft had total electrical failure while transiting a TCA. Primary electrical power supply problem. Loss of radio contact.

Attributes
ACN	223477
Time
Date	199210
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 130
ASRS Report	223477
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : vfr in imc other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Returning to home base from southern ca, at 6500 ft inside TCA with clearance direct to 056 (home base). Alternator failure, followed almost immediately by low battery alarm. ATC notified of alternator failure and possible pending total electrical failure. I was asked if I wanted to land sfo. I said I would try to make gnoss field (O56). Then battery failed. All system turned off except transponder (which appeared not to be working -- no reply light), passenger calmed, course and altitude maintained. After some time with no drain on battery (approximately 5 mins), attempted to reestablish contact with ATC. Transmitted my intentions to maintain last assigned course and altitude but radio went dead during transmission. Turned off. When clear of TCA, I tried again with radio. Told ATC I was clear of TCA. They acknowledged, radio went dead again. Descended through broken stratus layer at 2000 ft and landed O56 without further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIVATE PLT OF SMA ACFT HAD TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE TRANSITING A TCA. PRIMARY ELECTRICAL PWR SUPPLY PROBLEM. LOSS OF RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: RETURNING TO HOME BASE FROM SOUTHERN CA, AT 6500 FT INSIDE TCA WITH CLRNC DIRECT TO 056 (HOME BASE). ALTERNATOR FAILURE, FOLLOWED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY LOW BATTERY ALARM. ATC NOTIFIED OF ALTERNATOR FAILURE AND POSSIBLE PENDING TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I WAS ASKED IF I WANTED TO LAND SFO. I SAID I WOULD TRY TO MAKE GNOSS FIELD (O56). THEN BATTERY FAILED. ALL SYS TURNED OFF EXCEPT TRANSPONDER (WHICH APPEARED NOT TO BE WORKING -- NO REPLY LIGHT), PAX CALMED, COURSE AND ALT MAINTAINED. AFTER SOME TIME WITH NO DRAIN ON BATTERY (APPROX 5 MINS), ATTEMPTED TO REESTABLISH CONTACT WITH ATC. XMITTED MY INTENTIONS TO MAINTAIN LAST ASSIGNED COURSE AND ALT BUT RADIO WENT DEAD DURING XMISSION. TURNED OFF. WHEN CLR OF TCA, I TRIED AGAIN WITH RADIO. TOLD ATC I WAS CLR OF TCA. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED, RADIO WENT DEAD AGAIN. DSNDED THROUGH BROKEN STRATUS LAYER AT 2000 FT AND LANDED O56 WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.