Narrative:

On jan/fri/95 at approximately AM30, I taxied out at sturgis airport in VFR conditions, but still pitch black night, for an IFR flight to sioux fall, south.D. The runway lights were completely off, so I activated the pilot controled lighting by keying 122,8 and then proceeded with my runup and preflight check. My takeoff and climb to approximately 1000 ft AGL were unremarkable until I turned off my aircraft landing lights, after which I lost all electricals including gear lights and gear letdown, radios, etc. I immediately turned on my flashlight and checked the circuit breakers (ok). Since further continuation of my flight was unable, I turned back to the field, eased back the power, and began making preparations to land. The pilot controled lighting was still on, but the darkness of the night prevented recognition of any landmarks. Attempted activation of my landing gear produced no result because of no electrical power. Therefore I rushed the emergency gear release and felt the unexpected changes in flight as well as heard the expected sounds, but had no way to verify all gears down and locked. Furthermore, I did not feel I could spend much time in the pattern at sturgis because the pilot controled lighting might go out and I would have no way to reactivate the runway lights so I decided to land at sturgis in the reverse direction of the takeoff, since no significant wind had been noted at takeoff. Certain safety items need to be considered: 1) continuous operation of runway lights, even at low level, would allow a pilot more time to consider options and check equipment. 2) posting of 'on times' (5 mins, 10 mins, etc) for pilot controled lighting on charts, airport guides etc., would allow pilots to determine how much time is left in emergency electrical failures. 3) pilots need to keep track of 'time on' for pilot controled lighting so they know the amount of time left before shut off of runway lights.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A RETURN LAND IN A NIGHT OP WAS MANDATED BY A PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY PROB.

Narrative: ON JAN/FRI/95 AT APPROX AM30, I TAXIED OUT AT STURGIS ARPT IN VFR CONDITIONS, BUT STILL PITCH BLACK NIGHT, FOR AN IFR FLT TO SIOUX FALL, S.D. THE RWY LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY OFF, SO I ACTIVATED THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING BY KEYING 122,8 AND THEN PROCEEDED WITH MY RUNUP AND PREFLT CHK. MY TKOF AND CLB TO APPROX 1000 FT AGL WERE UNREMARKABLE UNTIL I TURNED OFF MY ACFT LNDG LIGHTS, AFTER WHICH I LOST ALL ELECTRICALS INCLUDING GEAR LIGHTS AND GEAR LETDOWN, RADIOS, ETC. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON MY FLASHLIGHT AND CHKED THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS (OK). SINCE FURTHER CONTINUATION OF MY FLT WAS UNABLE, I TURNED BACK TO THE FIELD, EASED BACK THE PWR, AND BEGAN MAKING PREPARATIONS TO LAND. THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING WAS STILL ON, BUT THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT PREVENTED RECOGNITION OF ANY LANDMARKS. ATTEMPTED ACTIVATION OF MY LNDG GEAR PRODUCED NO RESULT BECAUSE OF NO ELECTRICAL PWR. THEREFORE I RUSHED THE EMER GEAR RELEASE AND FELT THE UNEXPECTED CHANGES IN FLT AS WELL AS HEARD THE EXPECTED SOUNDS, BUT HAD NO WAY TO VERIFY ALL GEARS DOWN AND LOCKED. FURTHERMORE, I DID NOT FEEL I COULD SPEND MUCH TIME IN THE PATTERN AT STURGIS BECAUSE THE PLT CTLED LIGHTING MIGHT GO OUT AND I WOULD HAVE NO WAY TO REACTIVATE THE RWY LIGHTS SO I DECIDED TO LAND AT STURGIS IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION OF THE TKOF, SINCE NO SIGNIFICANT WIND HAD BEEN NOTED AT TKOF. CERTAIN SAFETY ITEMS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED: 1) CONTINUOUS OP OF RWY LIGHTS, EVEN AT LOW LEVEL, WOULD ALLOW A PLT MORE TIME TO CONSIDER OPTIONS AND CHK EQUIP. 2) POSTING OF 'ON TIMES' (5 MINS, 10 MINS, ETC) FOR PLT CTLED LIGHTING ON CHARTS, ARPT GUIDES ETC., WOULD ALLOW PLTS TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH TIME IS LEFT IN EMER ELECTRICAL FAILURES. 3) PLTS NEED TO KEEP TRACK OF 'TIME ON' FOR PLT CTLED LIGHTING SO THEY KNOW THE AMOUNT OF TIME LEFT BEFORE SHUT OFF OF RWY LIGHTS.

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.