Small aircraft freighter lost all electrical power while flying on top over low ceilings. He flew to...

Attributes
ACN	367183
Time
Date	199704
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewn
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 600 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nkt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1625 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	367183
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I work for a part 135 freight carrier. I was having problems starting my plane, so I had an auxiliary start. I was at ewn en route to rdu. After my auxiliary start, my battery was showing a charge. I did a runup and did an alternator check. Everything was fine. After departure, I called cherry point (control). About 15 mins into the flight, they lost my transponder. In a matter of mins, I lost all my electrical equipment. I recycled the alternator, checked fuses, etc, and even recycled the battery/alternator switch. I was VFR on top, so I did a 180 degree turn to head for the ocean. I flew this heading for a while, then descended through the overcast layer over the ocean. After breakout of the layer (500-600 ft on the altimeter), I did another 180 degree turn and headed toward the shore. Then I tried to fly by pilotage to an airport. The ceiling was getting lower and night was getting closer, so I landed in a grass strip I saw a few moments earlier. Contributing factors: I should have questioned why the battery was low and the plane would not start. The alternator had a problem where it was working intermittently. That is why it showed a charge before I left ewn. However, one should always ask the question 'why' when something is wrong. This could have been a real ugly situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FREIGHTER LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR WHILE FLYING ON TOP OVER LOW CEILINGS. HE FLEW TO THE OCEAN, DSNDED TO BELOW A 600 FT OVCST, RETURNED TO LAND AND FOUND A GRASS STRIP TO LAND ON.

Narrative: I WORK FOR A PART 135 FREIGHT CARRIER. I WAS HAVING PROBS STARTING MY PLANE, SO I HAD AN AUX START. I WAS AT EWN ENRTE TO RDU. AFTER MY AUX START, MY BATTERY WAS SHOWING A CHARGE. I DID A RUNUP AND DID AN ALTERNATOR CHK. EVERYTHING WAS FINE. AFTER DEP, I CALLED CHERRY POINT (CTL). ABOUT 15 MINS INTO THE FLT, THEY LOST MY XPONDER. IN A MATTER OF MINS, I LOST ALL MY ELECTRICAL EQUIP. I RECYCLED THE ALTERNATOR, CHKED FUSES, ETC, AND EVEN RECYCLED THE BATTERY/ALTERNATOR SWITCH. I WAS VFR ON TOP, SO I DID A 180 DEG TURN TO HEAD FOR THE OCEAN. I FLEW THIS HDG FOR A WHILE, THEN DSNDED THROUGH THE OVCST LAYER OVER THE OCEAN. AFTER BREAKOUT OF THE LAYER (500-600 FT ON THE ALTIMETER), I DID ANOTHER 180 DEG TURN AND HEADED TOWARD THE SHORE. THEN I TRIED TO FLY BY PILOTAGE TO AN ARPT. THE CEILING WAS GETTING LOWER AND NIGHT WAS GETTING CLOSER, SO I LANDED IN A GRASS STRIP I SAW A FEW MOMENTS EARLIER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED WHY THE BATTERY WAS LOW AND THE PLANE WOULD NOT START. THE ALTERNATOR HAD A PROB WHERE IT WAS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THAT IS WHY IT SHOWED A CHARGE BEFORE I LEFT EWN. HOWEVER, ONE SHOULD ALWAYS ASK THE QUESTION 'WHY' WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A REAL UGLY 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.

Small aircraft freighter lost all electrical power while flying on top over low ceilings. He flew to the ocean, descended to below a 600 ft overcast, returned to land and found a grass strip to land on.