Small aircraft on night cross country flight loses entire electrical system.

Attributes
ACN	230320
Time
Date	199301
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lex
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lex
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	230320
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was on a return flight from cev to spa and I lost total communication and navigation capabilities. I had a hand held radio but no flashlight. The panel lights were working just enough to see. I radioed in that I lost these and was currently using a portable communication device. I asked for an ASR approach and was talked down beautifully. To my surprise, there were about 4 fire and rescue trucks waiting for me to land. I wasn't able to use any landing lights because the battery drained completely. We had a mechanic look and he found the alternator coupling sheared. He said it was nothing we did, just wear and tear. He said that would cause the battery to die and for us to lose electrical capabilities. We had it replaced and returned home safely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON NIGHT XCOUNTRY FLT LOSES ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYS.

Narrative: I WAS ON A RETURN FLT FROM CEV TO SPA AND I LOST TOTAL COM AND NAV CAPABILITIES. I HAD A HAND HELD RADIO BUT NO FLASHLIGHT. THE PANEL LIGHTS WERE WORKING JUST ENOUGH TO SEE. I RADIOED IN THAT I LOST THESE AND WAS CURRENTLY USING A PORTABLE COM DEVICE. I ASKED FOR AN ASR APCH AND WAS TALKED DOWN BEAUTIFULLY. TO MY SURPRISE, THERE WERE ABOUT 4 FIRE AND RESCUE TRUCKS WAITING FOR ME TO LAND. I WASN'T ABLE TO USE ANY LNDG LIGHTS BECAUSE THE BATTERY DRAINED COMPLETELY. WE HAD A MECH LOOK AND HE FOUND THE ALTERNATOR COUPLING SHEARED. HE SAID IT WAS NOTHING WE DID, JUST WEAR AND TEAR. HE SAID THAT WOULD CAUSE THE BATTERY TO DIE AND FOR US TO LOSE ELECTRICAL CAPABILITIES. WE HAD IT REPLACED AND RETURNED HOME SAFELY.

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.