Reporter experiences generator failure near ashville, nc, and continues to land at birmingham, al, a...

Attributes
ACN	323512
Time
Date	199512
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bhm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bhm
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Bonanza 35
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 pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 37 flight time total : 1063 flight time type : 781
ASRS Report	323512
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Lost generator near ashville, nc. Shut down all electrical except LORAN and transponder. Continued to bhm, al (home base). Contacted bhm approach and advised of situation 25 mi from airport. Bhm issued squawk code and asked if I needed any assistance. I told them 'no', that everything was under control. Second controller came on and told me to turn the transponder off because of situation (to conserve battery). Switched to tower, cleared to land, advised that emergency equipment was being dispersed. Waited till approximately 25 ft above runway to turn 1 landing light on. As soon as touchdown, landing light off, taxied to ramp, no lights. Followed to ramp by 'parade' of emergency vehicles. Help and concern most appreciated. Not sure situation required the amount of commotion caused by emergency procedures. No complaints. Everyone very helpful. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a 1959 beech 35 bonanza. The generator was a rebuilt that had recently been installed and was flawed. Fortunately, the battery was new and the reporter was watching the gauges and saw the discharge occurring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR EXPERIENCES GENERATOR FAILURE NEAR ASHVILLE, NC, AND CONTINUES TO LAND AT BIRMINGHAM, AL, AT NIGHT.

Narrative: LOST GENERATOR NEAR ASHVILLE, NC. SHUT DOWN ALL ELECTRICAL EXCEPT LORAN AND XPONDER. CONTINUED TO BHM, AL (HOME BASE). CONTACTED BHM APCH AND ADVISED OF SIT 25 MI FROM ARPT. BHM ISSUED SQUAWK CODE AND ASKED IF I NEEDED ANY ASSISTANCE. I TOLD THEM 'NO', THAT EVERYTHING WAS UNDER CTL. SECOND CTLR CAME ON AND TOLD ME TO TURN THE XPONDER OFF BECAUSE OF SIT (TO CONSERVE BATTERY). SWITCHED TO TWR, CLRED TO LAND, ADVISED THAT EMER EQUIP WAS BEING DISPERSED. WAITED TILL APPROX 25 FT ABOVE RWY TO TURN 1 LNDG LIGHT ON. AS SOON AS TOUCHDOWN, LNDG LIGHT OFF, TAXIED TO RAMP, NO LIGHTS. FOLLOWED TO RAMP BY 'PARADE' OF EMER VEHICLES. HELP AND CONCERN MOST APPRECIATED. NOT SURE SIT REQUIRED THE AMOUNT OF COMMOTION CAUSED BY EMER PROCS. NO COMPLAINTS. EVERYONE VERY HELPFUL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A 1959 BEECH 35 BONANZA. THE GENERATOR WAS A REBUILT THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN INSTALLED AND WAS FLAWED. FORTUNATELY, THE BATTERY WAS NEW AND THE RPTR WAS WATCHING THE GAUGES AND SAW THE DISCHARGE OCCURRING.

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.

Reporter experiences generator failure near ashville, nc, and continues to land at birmingham, al, at night.