Narrative:

On a VFR flight from ny area to harrisburg, PA, flight plan took us over abe VOR, PA, at 4500 ft. Approximately 25 mi east of abe, we started to have electrical problems -- navigation equipment was intermittently in and out and unreliable. Decided to call abe approach and land at abe airport. After many attempts to contact abe approach, contact was finally made and they said, 'radar contact in their control zone.' was instructed to heading. Descending to airport we lost all electric power and communication. At this point, I decided to discontinue descent for an approach since gear and flaps are electrically operated. Keeping a visual for other aircraft, I departed nne, well out of control zone to evaluate the problem. Turned master switches off. Alternators off. Resetting of all circuit breakers. Rebuilding the electrical system with only essential items for flight and communication. At a reduced load, the electrical system was restored. Contact again was established with approach control and a normal landing was made. Ground control told me to call tower supervisor via phone. After inquiring about the availability of radio man and mechanic, I called the supervisor and he requested PIC name, which was given with a brief description of the events on our decision to land at abe. He stated he could have helped us but realized we could not talk to anyone due to radio failure. End of conversation. My concern at this point is whether I will be violated or not. Under the circumstances, I had no alternative but to put the aircraft on the ground at allentown.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HIGH TIME ATP PLT LOST HIS RADIOS IN THE ABE ARSA.

Narrative: ON A VFR FLT FROM NY AREA TO HARRISBURG, PA, FLT PLAN TOOK US OVER ABE VOR, PA, AT 4500 FT. APPROX 25 MI E OF ABE, WE STARTED TO HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBS -- NAV EQUIP WAS INTERMITTENTLY IN AND OUT AND UNRELIABLE. DECIDED TO CALL ABE APCH AND LAND AT ABE ARPT. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT ABE APCH, CONTACT WAS FINALLY MADE AND THEY SAID, 'RADAR CONTACT IN THEIR CTL ZONE.' WAS INSTRUCTED TO HDG. DSNDING TO ARPT WE LOST ALL ELECTRIC PWR AND COM. AT THIS POINT, I DECIDED TO DISCONTINUE DSCNT FOR AN APCH SINCE GEAR AND FLAPS ARE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED. KEEPING A VISUAL FOR OTHER ACFT, I DEPARTED NNE, WELL OUT OF CTL ZONE TO EVALUATE THE PROB. TURNED MASTER SWITCHES OFF. ALTERNATORS OFF. RESETTING OF ALL CIRCUIT BREAKERS. REBUILDING THE ELECTRICAL SYS WITH ONLY ESSENTIAL ITEMS FOR FLT AND COM. AT A REDUCED LOAD, THE ELECTRICAL SYS WAS RESTORED. CONTACT AGAIN WAS ESTABLISHED WITH APCH CTL AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE. GND CTL TOLD ME TO CALL TWR SUPVR VIA PHONE. AFTER INQUIRING ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF RADIO MAN AND MECH, I CALLED THE SUPVR AND HE REQUESTED PIC NAME, WHICH WAS GIVEN WITH A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS ON OUR DECISION TO LAND AT ABE. HE STATED HE COULD HAVE HELPED US BUT REALIZED WE COULD NOT TALK TO ANYONE DUE TO RADIO FAILURE. END OF CONVERSATION. MY CONCERN AT THIS POINT IS WHETHER I WILL BE VIOLATED OR NOT. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I HAD NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO PUT THE ACFT ON THE GND AT ALLENTOWN.

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.