Aircraft equipment problem in a night operation.

Attributes
ACN	292882
Time
Date	199412
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4020 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phx artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Cessna 340/340A
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3207 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	292882
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departed phx on or about dec/xx/94 at XA35 PST. Departure control vectored my aircraft south of phx to intercept the victor airway to gbn. After leveling at 4000 ft MSL, departure assigned me on a heading of 180 degrees and climb to 5000 ft MSL. Reaching 4600 ft MSL, departure assigned me on a 210 degree vector and 6000 ft. Prior to reaching 5000 ft I lost cabin pressurization and experienced loss of both my engine driven alternators. (Note: passing 4000 ft MSL I was in IMC and in moderate turbulence.) upon resetting/regaining the right engine generator I turned to check on one of my passenger of whom I knew had a sinus cold. The passenger replied that she was ok and I returned to flying the aircraft, leveling at 6000 ft on a 210 degree heading. Pressurization was never regained as I was cleared to 10000 ft and the flight continued to yuma where the left engine generator was regained then eventually lost both discrepancies were later squawked and corrected. Lessons learned: 1) fly the aircraft first and foremost. Turning around in IMC/turbulent conditions I could've placed the aircraft in extremis/unusual attitude. 2) deal first with the abnormality/casualty sinus pair/damage isn't as severe as crashing an aircraft. 3) take your time and be methodical. 4) always remember the basic rules -- aviate, navigation, communicate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: DEPARTED PHX ON OR ABOUT DEC/XX/94 AT XA35 PST. DEP CTL VECTORED MY ACFT S OF PHX TO INTERCEPT THE VICTOR AIRWAY TO GBN. AFTER LEVELING AT 4000 FT MSL, DEP ASSIGNED ME ON A HDG OF 180 DEGS AND CLB TO 5000 FT MSL. REACHING 4600 FT MSL, DEP ASSIGNED ME ON A 210 DEG VECTOR AND 6000 FT. PRIOR TO REACHING 5000 FT I LOST CABIN PRESSURIZATION AND EXPERIENCED LOSS OF BOTH MY ENG DRIVEN ALTERNATORS. (NOTE: PASSING 4000 FT MSL I WAS IN IMC AND IN MODERATE TURB.) UPON RESETTING/REGAINING THE R ENG GENERATOR I TURNED TO CHK ON ONE OF MY PAX OF WHOM I KNEW HAD A SINUS COLD. THE PAX REPLIED THAT SHE WAS OK AND I RETURNED TO FLYING THE ACFT, LEVELING AT 6000 FT ON A 210 DEG HDG. PRESSURIZATION WAS NEVER REGAINED AS I WAS CLRED TO 10000 FT AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO YUMA WHERE THE L ENG GENERATOR WAS REGAINED THEN EVENTUALLY LOST BOTH DISCREPANCIES WERE LATER SQUAWKED AND CORRECTED. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) FLY THE ACFT FIRST AND FOREMOST. TURNING AROUND IN IMC/TURBULENT CONDITIONS I COULD'VE PLACED THE ACFT IN EXTREMIS/UNUSUAL ATTITUDE. 2) DEAL FIRST WITH THE ABNORMALITY/CASUALTY SINUS PAIR/DAMAGE ISN'T AS SEVERE AS CRASHING AN ACFT. 3) TAKE YOUR TIME AND BE METHODICAL. 4) ALWAYS REMEMBER THE BASIC RULES -- AVIATE, NAV, COMMUNICATE.

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.