Total electrical failure in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	277795
Time
Date	199407
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mht
State Reference	NH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : mht
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time total : 550
ASRS Report	277795
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Total electrical failure in IMC aircraft 2 hours time since top overhaul. Sudden loss of communication and navigation. Ultimate cause was break in alternator primary. Hand-held radio with jack to external communication 2 antenna used to declare an emergency situation. Communication established and vectored to airport for sar approach with 400 FPM descent on final glide path. No adverse outcome. Excellent response from ATC in mht tower. Only difficulty was excessive ATC control of other aircraft and trying to hear in less than ideal noise environment to a hand-held radio by my ear. Extra diversion to listen to communications to me, would have been better to have unique frequency. I was trying to isolate 1 navigational instrument if possible., manually lower gear and navigation and fly in IMC. Heavy workload. Very grateful for the assistance I got which was cool, direct and made me aware of other alternatives. Many thanks. Also may thanks to tower at pwm which has always been cooperative in giving sar approachs both with and without gyros. I have regularly made training approachs at pwm, my home base, and the training and presence of an emergency hand-held radio really paid off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN IMC.

Narrative: TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN IMC ACFT 2 HRS TIME SINCE TOP OVERHAUL. SUDDEN LOSS OF COM AND NAV. ULTIMATE CAUSE WAS BREAK IN ALTERNATOR PRIMARY. HAND-HELD RADIO WITH JACK TO EXTERNAL COM 2 ANTENNA USED TO DECLARE AN EMER SIT. COM ESTABLISHED AND VECTORED TO ARPT FOR SAR APCH WITH 400 FPM DSCNT ON FINAL GLIDE PATH. NO ADVERSE OUTCOME. EXCELLENT RESPONSE FROM ATC IN MHT TWR. ONLY DIFFICULTY WAS EXCESSIVE ATC CTL OF OTHER ACFT AND TRYING TO HEAR IN LESS THAN IDEAL NOISE ENVIRONMENT TO A HAND-HELD RADIO BY MY EAR. EXTRA DIVERSION TO LISTEN TO COMS TO ME, WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO HAVE UNIQUE FREQ. I WAS TRYING TO ISOLATE 1 NAVIGATIONAL INSTR IF POSSIBLE., MANUALLY LOWER GEAR AND NAV AND FLY IN IMC. HVY WORKLOAD. VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE ASSISTANCE I GOT WHICH WAS COOL, DIRECT AND MADE ME AWARE OF OTHER ALTERNATIVES. MANY THANKS. ALSO MAY THANKS TO TWR AT PWM WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN COOPERATIVE IN GIVING SAR APCHS BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT GYROS. I HAVE REGULARLY MADE TRAINING APCHS AT PWM, MY HOME BASE, AND THE TRAINING AND PRESENCE OF AN EMER HAND-HELD RADIO REALLY PAID OFF.

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.