Small aircraft pilot has total electrical failure. Precautionary landing.

Attributes
ACN	235805
Time
Date	199303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pkb
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 858 msl bound upper : 4500
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pkb
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 33 flight time total : 205 flight time type : 91
ASRS Report	235805
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Electric system malfunction drained battery and lost communications en route, VFR mgw to I68. Limited number of airfields between mgw and pkb. Decided to land without contact with pkb tower before continuing flight to I68 in order to: confirm forecasted VFR conditions, refuel (top off), see if mechanical assistance available (sunday afternoon), inform home base FBO of problem and that flight may not be continued. Called tower upon landing and explained problem. No assistance available with electrical problem. VFR still forecasted along route. Contacted tower and was advised to taxi and depart via light gun signals. Continued flight, but deviated north somewhat after xub fix to avoid airport control zone.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAS TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. PRECAUTIONARY LNDG.

Narrative: ELECTRIC SYS MALFUNCTION DRAINED BATTERY AND LOST COMS ENRTE, VFR MGW TO I68. LIMITED NUMBER OF AIRFIELDS BTWN MGW AND PKB. DECIDED TO LAND WITHOUT CONTACT WITH PKB TWR BEFORE CONTINUING FLT TO I68 IN ORDER TO: CONFIRM FORECASTED VFR CONDITIONS, REFUEL (TOP OFF), SEE IF MECHANICAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE (SUNDAY AFTERNOON), INFORM HOME BASE FBO OF PROB AND THAT FLT MAY NOT BE CONTINUED. CALLED TWR UPON LNDG AND EXPLAINED PROB. NO ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE WITH ELECTRICAL PROB. VFR STILL FORECASTED ALONG RTE. CONTACTED TWR AND WAS ADVISED TO TAXI AND DEPART VIA LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. CONTINUED FLT, BUT DEVIATED N SOMEWHAT AFTER XUB FIX TO AVOID ARPT CTL ZONE.

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.