Pilot deviation in trying a flight continuation with a primary electrical power supply problem.

Attributes
ACN	359418
Time
Date	199701
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : new
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tracon : new tower : okc
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	359418
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far 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	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On jan/thu/97 at approximately AM00, I departed new on a VFR flight. The flight was routine on climb out, and I soon found myself over a 2500 ft cloud deck. Shortly afterward, my alternator light came on. I then went through a series of checks and determined that the alternator was not producing power and I was losing battery power. At that point I shut down the alternator and master switch as a safety precaution against possible fire and to preserve battery power for landing. I climbed to 7500 ft to look for a break in the cloud deck below to allow me to descend for landing at an airport. I naved with a hand-held GPS along V198 while avoiding class C and class D airspace below, looking for a break in the cloud deck below. After 2 hours, and past the mai VOR, I turned around and headed back to new which was forecast clear. At about 30 mi out I contacted new approach control using battery power and lowered the landing gear. I was unable to maintain transponder and radio operation during the VFR flight because this would have drained the battery leaving me with no electrical power. Upon landing, the alternator was checked at an FBO and found to be burned up and totally inoperative. It was then replaced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTDEV IN TRYING A FLT CONTINUATION WITH A PRIMARY ELECTRICAL PWR SUPPLY PROB.

Narrative: ON JAN/THU/97 AT APPROX AM00, I DEPARTED NEW ON A VFR FLT. THE FLT WAS ROUTINE ON CLBOUT, AND I SOON FOUND MYSELF OVER A 2500 FT CLOUD DECK. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, MY ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON. I THEN WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF CHKS AND DETERMINED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT PRODUCING PWR AND I WAS LOSING BATTERY PWR. AT THAT POINT I SHUT DOWN THE ALTERNATOR AND MASTER SWITCH AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION AGAINST POSSIBLE FIRE AND TO PRESERVE BATTERY PWR FOR LNDG. I CLBED TO 7500 FT TO LOOK FOR A BREAK IN THE CLOUD DECK BELOW TO ALLOW ME TO DSND FOR LNDG AT AN ARPT. I NAVED WITH A HAND-HELD GPS ALONG V198 WHILE AVOIDING CLASS C AND CLASS D AIRSPACE BELOW, LOOKING FOR A BREAK IN THE CLOUD DECK BELOW. AFTER 2 HRS, AND PAST THE MAI VOR, I TURNED AROUND AND HEADED BACK TO NEW WHICH WAS FORECAST CLR. AT ABOUT 30 MI OUT I CONTACTED NEW APCH CTL USING BATTERY PWR AND LOWERED THE LNDG GEAR. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN XPONDER AND RADIO OP DURING THE VFR FLT BECAUSE THIS WOULD HAVE DRAINED THE BATTERY LEAVING ME WITH NO ELECTRICAL PWR. UPON LNDG, THE ALTERNATOR WAS CHKED AT AN FBO AND FOUND TO BE BURNED UP AND TOTALLY INOP. IT WAS THEN REPLACED.

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.