Narrative:

I was over the gorman VOR station flying directly to el monte airport. I was in contact with ZLA with my transponder set. Dusk was approaching so I switched both the navigation and panel lights to the on position. Approximately 15 mins passed and darkness was closing. I then noticed that my beacon, navigation, and instrument lights were not working. I rechked my on-off buttons and they were in the on position. I noticed that all instruments lights were out and tried my radio. No response with ZLA. I had my second radio set for el monte tower. I altered course to go around the mountain between myself and el monte. I did not want to fly over the mountain without complete set of visible instruments. Being familiar with the area, I knew I would be close to the bur arsa. I could not see to set my radio for bur so I tried to skirt outside the arsa and contact el monte as soon as possible. After communication were established with el monte, they directed me into the landing approach to the airport. The VASI lights were on but I approached too fast (could not see the speed indicator). They suggested to go around and I did. The second time around I landed. I told the tower operator of my intention to proceed to the fuel pits. He met me there and I explained my situation. We both got inside the airplane and tried again to turn the lights on. No success. The next morning, I went out to the airplane and physically reset all fuses and checked all visible components. I must have done something correct because now everything functions correctly. I have scheduled the airplane to have the electrical system checked out by a qualified person. I will install a secondary battery pwred lighting system so this occurrence will never happen again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ELECTRICAL PROB, NO NAV OR INST LIGHTS. MAKES A GAR THEN LANDS.

Narrative: I WAS OVER THE GORMAN VOR STATION FLYING DIRECTLY TO EL MONTE ARPT. I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZLA WITH MY XPONDER SET. DUSK WAS APCHING SO I SWITCHED BOTH THE NAV AND PANEL LIGHTS TO THE ON POS. APPROX 15 MINS PASSED AND DARKNESS WAS CLOSING. I THEN NOTICED THAT MY BEACON, NAV, AND INST LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I RECHKED MY ON-OFF BUTTONS AND THEY WERE IN THE ON POS. I NOTICED THAT ALL INSTS LIGHTS WERE OUT AND TRIED MY RADIO. NO RESPONSE WITH ZLA. I HAD MY SECOND RADIO SET FOR EL MONTE TWR. I ALTERED COURSE TO GAR THE MOUNTAIN BTWN MYSELF AND EL MONTE. I DID NOT WANT TO FLY OVER THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT COMPLETE SET OF VISIBLE INSTS. BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, I KNEW I WOULD BE CLOSE TO THE BUR ARSA. I COULD NOT SEE TO SET MY RADIO FOR BUR SO I TRIED TO SKIRT OUTSIDE THE ARSA AND CONTACT EL MONTE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AFTER COM WERE ESTABLISHED WITH EL MONTE, THEY DIRECTED ME INTO THE LNDG APCH TO THE ARPT. THE VASI LIGHTS WERE ON BUT I APCHED TOO FAST (COULD NOT SEE THE SPD INDICATOR). THEY SUGGESTED TO GAR AND I DID. THE SECOND TIME AROUND I LANDED. I TOLD THE TWR OPERATOR OF MY INTENTION TO PROCEED TO THE FUEL PITS. HE MET ME THERE AND I EXPLAINED MY SIT. WE BOTH GOT INSIDE THE AIRPLANE AND TRIED AGAIN TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON. NO SUCCESS. THE NEXT MORNING, I WENT OUT TO THE AIRPLANE AND PHYSICALLY RESET ALL FUSES AND CHKED ALL VISIBLE COMPONENTS. I MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING CORRECT BECAUSE NOW EVERYTHING FUNCTIONS CORRECTLY. I HAVE SCHEDULED THE AIRPLANE TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL SYS CHKED OUT BY A QUALIFIED PERSON. I WILL INSTALL A SECONDARY BATTERY PWRED LIGHTING SYS SO THIS OCCURRENCE WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.