Small aircraft has electrical failure at cruise. Lands at tower controled airport.

Attributes
ACN	315672
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gon
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 597 flight time type : 380
ASRS Report	315672
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While cruising wbound between gon and hvn, aircraft suffered a charging system failure. Due to battery drain, radio xmissions were not possible. Pilot set transponder to 7700, then 7600. Upon arrival over hvn, pilot observed no traffic in area, descended into hvn pattern, and circled, hoping to get a light gun signal. When none was forthcoming, pilot flew back east, searching for an uncontrolled field with runway lights on. None were found as far east as westerly, ri. The only area airport pilot had landed at previously was gon, so pilot returned there. Searched for conflicting traffic, and seeing none, landed. By this time, all lighting was essentially dead. Pilot taxied to foot of control tower and informed controller of situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT CRUISE. LANDS AT TWR CTLED ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE CRUISING WBOUND BTWN GON AND HVN, ACFT SUFFERED A CHARGING SYS FAILURE. DUE TO BATTERY DRAIN, RADIO XMISSIONS WERE NOT POSSIBLE. PLT SET XPONDER TO 7700, THEN 7600. UPON ARR OVER HVN, PLT OBSERVED NO TFC IN AREA, DSNDED INTO HVN PATTERN, AND CIRCLED, HOPING TO GET A LIGHT GUN SIGNAL. WHEN NONE WAS FORTHCOMING, PLT FLEW BACK E, SEARCHING FOR AN UNCTLED FIELD WITH RWY LIGHTS ON. NONE WERE FOUND AS FAR E AS WESTERLY, RI. THE ONLY AREA ARPT PLT HAD LANDED AT PREVIOUSLY WAS GON, SO PLT RETURNED THERE. SEARCHED FOR CONFLICTING TFC, AND SEEING NONE, LANDED. BY THIS TIME, ALL LIGHTING WAS ESSENTIALLY DEAD. PLT TAXIED TO FOOT OF CTL TWR AND INFORMED CTLR OF SIT.

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.