Small aircraft pilot performs lost communication procedure when he suffers primary electrical supply problem and is unable to establish radio contact.

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Attributes
ACN	245414
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ign
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : direct enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 390 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	245414
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After takeoff, tower switched me over to center at 800 ft MSL. Center asked me to confirm my transponder was on. I replied yes. At this point I did not receive an answer. Center had cleared me to 5000 ft MSL. So I continued to climb. After checking alternator, switches, and circuit breaker, I found no faults. I tried homing in on vors and ndbs with not even static coming through the radio when I tried to identify. The onboard LORAN was still operational, so I did a 180 degree turn and headed for the ign VOR. At this point I put the transponder on 7700 for 1 min, then 7600, also I monitored both VOR radios (different frequencys). I had a VOR- a approach plate I used for minimum information. Upon reaching the VOR. The LORAN shut down so I continued on course to the airport. First I went to VOR-a approach MDA of 760 ft MSL. There was no visibility so I continued a slow descent down to about 150-200 ft AGL where I recognized landmarks directly below me that were within a mi of the airport so I continued to an uneventful no-flap (electric flaps) landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT PERFORMS LOST COM PROC WHEN HE SUFFERS PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY PROB AND IS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, TWR SWITCHED ME OVER TO CTR AT 800 FT MSL. CTR ASKED ME TO CONFIRM MY XPONDER WAS ON. I REPLIED YES. AT THIS POINT I DID NOT RECEIVE AN ANSWER. CTR HAD CLRED ME TO 5000 FT MSL. SO I CONTINUED TO CLB. AFTER CHKING ALTERNATOR, SWITCHES, AND CIRCUIT BREAKER, I FOUND NO FAULTS. I TRIED HOMING IN ON VORS AND NDBS WITH NOT EVEN STATIC COMING THROUGH THE RADIO WHEN I TRIED TO IDENT. THE ONBOARD LORAN WAS STILL OPERATIONAL, SO I DID A 180 DEG TURN AND HEADED FOR THE IGN VOR. AT THIS POINT I PUT THE XPONDER ON 7700 FOR 1 MIN, THEN 7600, ALSO I MONITORED BOTH VOR RADIOS (DIFFERENT FREQS). I HAD A VOR- A APCH PLATE I USED FOR MINIMUM INFO. UPON REACHING THE VOR. THE LORAN SHUT DOWN SO I CONTINUED ON COURSE TO THE ARPT. FIRST I WENT TO VOR-A APCH MDA OF 760 FT MSL. THERE WAS NO VISIBILITY SO I CONTINUED A SLOW DSCNT DOWN TO ABOUT 150-200 FT AGL WHERE I RECOGNIZED LANDMARKS DIRECTLY BELOW ME THAT WERE WITHIN A MI OF THE ARPT SO I CONTINUED TO AN UNEVENTFUL NO-FLAP (ELECTRIC FLAPS) LNDG.

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.