Aircraft equipment problem alternator failure in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	302960
Time
Date	199504
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ptk airport : 7d2
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw tracon : ptk
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 940 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	302960
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I departed 7d2 on an instrument training flight in a cherokee archer (PA-28-181) at XA45 local. Radar contact was established on 126.85 (dtw approach control). 10 mins after departure, while being radar vectored for the ILS runway 9R approach, dtw approach indicated, not receiving transponder. We then switched to the pontiac approach controller to initiate vectors back into 7d2. Battery power was fading quickly and navigation for the VOR-a approach into 7d2 became impossible. Flags appeared in our navigation equipment which forced us to begin missed approach. We then proceeded to minimum electrical power, which left us with only 1 radio (very weak and barely readable). Pontiac approach then proceeded to vector us to dtw airport with hopes of VFR conditions. Upon reaching dtw, visual contact with runway 15 was made. From 2000 ft MSL, a circle to land -- actually more like a spiral to land -- was commenced through a small break in the clouds. A landing was accomplished without incident. Landing was also accomplished with 4 hours fuel on board.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB ALTERNATOR FAILURE IN IMC.

Narrative: I DEPARTED 7D2 ON AN INST TRAINING FLT IN A CHEROKEE ARCHER (PA-28-181) AT XA45 LCL. RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED ON 126.85 (DTW APCH CTL). 10 MINS AFTER DEP, WHILE BEING RADAR VECTORED FOR THE ILS RWY 9R APCH, DTW APCH INDICATED, NOT RECEIVING XPONDER. WE THEN SWITCHED TO THE PONTIAC APCH CTLR TO INITIATE VECTORS BACK INTO 7D2. BATTERY PWR WAS FADING QUICKLY AND NAV FOR THE VOR-A APCH INTO 7D2 BECAME IMPOSSIBLE. FLAGS APPEARED IN OUR NAV EQUIP WHICH FORCED US TO BEGIN MISSED APCH. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO MINIMUM ELECTRICAL PWR, WHICH LEFT US WITH ONLY 1 RADIO (VERY WEAK AND BARELY READABLE). PONTIAC APCH THEN PROCEEDED TO VECTOR US TO DTW ARPT WITH HOPES OF VFR CONDITIONS. UPON REACHING DTW, VISUAL CONTACT WITH RWY 15 WAS MADE. FROM 2000 FT MSL, A CIRCLE TO LAND -- ACTUALLY MORE LIKE A SPIRAL TO LAND -- WAS COMMENCED THROUGH A SMALL BREAK IN THE CLOUDS. A LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. LNDG WAS ALSO ACCOMPLISHED WITH 4 HRS FUEL ON BOARD.

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.