During an instrument competency check the reporter lost all electrical power. In the process of navigating without communication radios and only a VFR only handheld GPS the reporter expects he possibly violated the washington area class B airspace.

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Attributes
ACN	331494
Time
Date	199603
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iad airport : w54
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad tower : tus
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
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 : 10 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	331494
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : company check pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While on instrument competency check my cfii and I noticed a high-pitched whine from the aircraft's headset and cabin speaker. Before we took off, we were able to quiet the noise by turning off our wingtip strobes and ADF. While en route, the whine reappeared. The radio displays all went haywire, and we eventually lost all electrical power. Fortunately, I had a handheld GPS which enabled us to navigation safely to my home base, jyo (leesburg, va). I own a handheld navigation/communication but I forgot to bring it along. I may have inadvertently violated class B airspace in the washington area by not descending below it and not contacting dulles approach control. However, I was unable to do so, and I was reluctant to descend too low. Probable cause of failure -- blown altimeter diode. However, repairs aren't yet complete. Recommendation -- always carry a spare radio, with battery pack, and handheld GPS, particularly when flying at night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING AN INST COMPETENCY CHK THE RPTR LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR. IN THE PROCESS OF NAVING WITHOUT COM RADIOS AND ONLY A VFR ONLY HANDHELD GPS THE RPTR EXPECTS HE POSSIBLY VIOLATED THE WASHINGTON AREA CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WHILE ON INST COMPETENCY CHK MY CFII AND I NOTICED A HIGH-PITCHED WHINE FROM THE ACFT'S HEADSET AND CABIN SPEAKER. BEFORE WE TOOK OFF, WE WERE ABLE TO QUIET THE NOISE BY TURNING OFF OUR WINGTIP STROBES AND ADF. WHILE ENRTE, THE WHINE REAPPEARED. THE RADIO DISPLAYS ALL WENT HAYWIRE, AND WE EVENTUALLY LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR. FORTUNATELY, I HAD A HANDHELD GPS WHICH ENABLED US TO NAV SAFELY TO MY HOME BASE, JYO (LEESBURG, VA). I OWN A HANDHELD NAV/COM BUT I FORGOT TO BRING IT ALONG. I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY VIOLATED CLASS B AIRSPACE IN THE WASHINGTON AREA BY NOT DSNDING BELOW IT AND NOT CONTACTING DULLES APCH CTL. HOWEVER, I WAS UNABLE TO DO SO, AND I WAS RELUCTANT TO DSND TOO LOW. PROBABLE CAUSE OF FAILURE -- BLOWN ALTIMETER DIODE. HOWEVER, REPAIRS AREN'T YET COMPLETE. RECOMMENDATION -- ALWAYS CARRY A SPARE RADIO, WITH BATTERY PACK, AND HANDHELD GPS, PARTICULARLY WHEN FLYING AT NIGHT.

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.