Narrative:

I experienced alternator failure due to a faulty voltage regulator, and had to turn off all electrical equipment to save the battery. I was in VFR conditions (clear) all the way to my destination (F54 - arlington municipal airport, tx) and had picked up an IFR flight plan out of chanute, ks. The FARS state that the pilot should land as soon as practical in this situation. It did not seem practical to me to land my airplane at a small airport in a remote location with few if any maintenance facilities available, and with night rapidly approaching. I also did not think it practical to land at a very busy, controled airport like tulsa when they were not expecting me and I was uncertain whether center was tracking me or not. So I squawked 7700 for 1 min, then 7600 for 15 mins, etc, and continued as cleared to my destination. I'm very familiar with the dallas ft worth area and TCA, and although I had filed directly through the TCA, I descended and stayed to the east and clear of the TCA all the way to my destination. I also turned on my rotating beacon while in the dfw area so that other aircraft could see and avoid me. Upon landing, I called center, who had indeed tracked me all the way to arlington and had cancelled my IFR flight plan for me. I handled this situation to the best of my knowledge and judgement, but thought it would be wise to file this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY PROB. SMA PLT CONTINUES ON TO DEST USING THE LOST COM PROC.

Narrative: I EXPERIENCED ALTERNATOR FAILURE DUE TO A FAULTY VOLTAGE REGULATOR, AND HAD TO TURN OFF ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIP TO SAVE THE BATTERY. I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS (CLR) ALL THE WAY TO MY DEST (F54 - ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL ARPT, TX) AND HAD PICKED UP AN IFR FLT PLAN OUT OF CHANUTE, KS. THE FARS STATE THAT THE PLT SHOULD LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL IN THIS SIT. IT DID NOT SEEM PRACTICAL TO ME TO LAND MY AIRPLANE AT A SMALL ARPT IN A REMOTE LOCATION WITH FEW IF ANY MAINT FACILITIES AVAILABLE, AND WITH NIGHT RAPIDLY APCHING. I ALSO DID NOT THINK IT PRACTICAL TO LAND AT A VERY BUSY, CTLED ARPT LIKE TULSA WHEN THEY WERE NOT EXPECTING ME AND I WAS UNCERTAIN WHETHER CTR WAS TRACKING ME OR NOT. SO I SQUAWKED 7700 FOR 1 MIN, THEN 7600 FOR 15 MINS, ETC, AND CONTINUED AS CLRED TO MY DEST. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE DALLAS FT WORTH AREA AND TCA, AND ALTHOUGH I HAD FILED DIRECTLY THROUGH THE TCA, I DSNDED AND STAYED TO THE E AND CLR OF THE TCA ALL THE WAY TO MY DEST. I ALSO TURNED ON MY ROTATING BEACON WHILE IN THE DFW AREA SO THAT OTHER ACFT COULD SEE AND AVOID ME. UPON LNDG, I CALLED CTR, WHO HAD INDEED TRACKED ME ALL THE WAY TO ARLINGTON AND HAD CANCELLED MY IFR FLT PLAN FOR ME. I HANDLED THIS SIT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND JUDGEMENT, BUT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WISE TO FILE THIS RPT.

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.