Total electrical failure in IMC ends in a safe landing.

Attributes
ACN	301200
Time
Date	199504
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pae
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : zse
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 190 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	301200
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Level at 5000 ft with radar vectors on training IFR flight in IMC with light icing when abrupt complete electrical failure associated with electrical smoke, sparks from left lower edge of instrument panel. Opened door to vent smoke, instructor radioed in blind to ZSE of emergency descent to VMC. In next 1 min, master switch off and sparks and smoke stopped. All avionics turned off and 1 radio turned on after master switch back on without apparent problem. Instructor spoke to ZSE reporting VMC, canceling IFR, flight diverting to awo. Return of smoke, sparks. Master turned off again, but a few seconds later, smoke and sparks returned. Instructor transmitted in blind to ZSE of new emergency, attempting to make pae for emergency landing. Engine leaned off, fuel off, switch off, propeller stopped at 40 KIAS. Sparks and smoke abated. Instructor made dead stick landing to pae taxiway without incident. No property or personal injury. ZSE had, in fact, notified pae tower of emergency. I was told by instructor next day that alternator had been replaced on apr/mon/95 with 0.3 hours taxi and runup test only. Inspection showed damage alternator, regulator and changed wiring consistent with overvoltage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN IMC ENDS IN A SAFE LNDG.

Narrative: LEVEL AT 5000 FT WITH RADAR VECTORS ON TRAINING IFR FLT IN IMC WITH LIGHT ICING WHEN ABRUPT COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE ASSOCIATED WITH ELECTRICAL SMOKE, SPARKS FROM L LOWER EDGE OF INST PANEL. OPENED DOOR TO VENT SMOKE, INSTRUCTOR RADIOED IN BLIND TO ZSE OF EMER DSCNT TO VMC. IN NEXT 1 MIN, MASTER SWITCH OFF AND SPARKS AND SMOKE STOPPED. ALL AVIONICS TURNED OFF AND 1 RADIO TURNED ON AFTER MASTER SWITCH BACK ON WITHOUT APPARENT PROB. INSTRUCTOR SPOKE TO ZSE RPTING VMC, CANCELING IFR, FLT DIVERTING TO AWO. RETURN OF SMOKE, SPARKS. MASTER TURNED OFF AGAIN, BUT A FEW SECONDS LATER, SMOKE AND SPARKS RETURNED. INSTRUCTOR XMITTED IN BLIND TO ZSE OF NEW EMER, ATTEMPTING TO MAKE PAE FOR EMER LNDG. ENG LEANED OFF, FUEL OFF, SWITCH OFF, PROP STOPPED AT 40 KIAS. SPARKS AND SMOKE ABATED. INSTRUCTOR MADE DEAD STICK LNDG TO PAE TXWY WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO PROPERTY OR PERSONAL INJURY. ZSE HAD, IN FACT, NOTIFIED PAE TWR OF EMER. I WAS TOLD BY INSTRUCTOR NEXT DAY THAT ALTERNATOR HAD BEEN REPLACED ON APR/MON/95 WITH 0.3 HRS TAXI AND RUNUP TEST ONLY. INSPECTION SHOWED DAMAGE ALTERNATOR, REGULATOR AND CHANGED WIRING CONSISTENT WITH OVERVOLTAGE.

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.