<< >> NASA ASRS Report 362746, March 1997

M20J had electrical failure shortly after takeoff at night. No destination given but he continued there with no running lights after the failure.

Attributes
ACN	362746
Time
Date	199703
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mco
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 200 agl bound upper : 250
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mco
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	M-20 J (201)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 340 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	362746
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On takeoff, around 100-250 ft, ATC queried us about our transponder. It was in the 'altitude' position, and had worked on our earlier leg of the flight. I reported this, but tower repeated the question as if they hadn't heard my reply. Just then the radio panels began to blink, and within a few seconds all lights turned off. I realized that I had an electrical failure, so I flew the last assigned heading and altitude and tried to reduce electrical load. I had no radio contact for approximately 5 mins while I tried to troubleshoot. Eventually, I was able to re-establish radio contact, but I wasn't able to use my external lights at all. The duration of the flight continued uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20J HAD ELECTRICAL FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TKOF AT NIGHT. NO DEST GIVEN BUT HE CONTINUED THERE WITH NO RUNNING LIGHTS AFTER THE FAILURE.

Narrative: ON TKOF, AROUND 100-250 FT, ATC QUERIED US ABOUT OUR XPONDER. IT WAS IN THE 'ALT' POS, AND HAD WORKED ON OUR EARLIER LEG OF THE FLT. I RPTED THIS, BUT TWR REPEATED THE QUESTION AS IF THEY HADN'T HEARD MY REPLY. JUST THEN THE RADIO PANELS BEGAN TO BLINK, AND WITHIN A FEW SECONDS ALL LIGHTS TURNED OFF. I REALIZED THAT I HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE, SO I FLEW THE LAST ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT AND TRIED TO REDUCE ELECTRICAL LOAD. I HAD NO RADIO CONTACT FOR APPROX 5 MINS WHILE I TRIED TO TROUBLESHOOT. EVENTUALLY, I WAS ABLE TO RE-ESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT, BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO USE MY EXTERNAL LIGHTS AT ALL. THE DURATION OF THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY.

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.