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C172 loses electrical power and returns to the departure airport during a night operation. Controller declares an emergency when he loses sight of aircraft's lights on final.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 379465 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : bdr |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : bdr |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude other other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | instruction : instructor oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5900 |
| ASRS Report | 379465 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | instruction : trainee |
| Qualification | pilot : student |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
We had departed bdr on the second leg of a night cross country. On climb out to the northwest, the ammeter started discharging and electrical items started to fail. We advised bdr tower that we were returning for landing. We were shutting down some of the electrical items as we entered right base for runway 24, and received our landing clearance from the tower. Upon turning final (for runway 24) we lost all electrical power, including our lights. We had the VASI, runway lights, and landing clearance, so we landed. However, since the tower controller had lost sight of us on final (no lights), he declared an emergency. After we taxied to the ramp and shut down, we had various emergency personnel collecting information from us. There was no damage to the aircraft or to any persons. We appreciate the tower controller's prompt response when he lost visual and aural contact with us.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C172 LOSES ELECTRICAL PWR AND RETURNS TO THE DEP ARPT DURING A NIGHT OP. CTLR DECLARES AN EMER WHEN HE LOSES SIGHT OF ACFT'S LIGHTS ON FINAL.
Narrative: WE HAD DEPARTED BDR ON THE SECOND LEG OF A NIGHT XCOUNTRY. ON CLBOUT TO THE NW, THE AMMETER STARTED DISCHARGING AND ELECTRICAL ITEMS STARTED TO FAIL. WE ADVISED BDR TWR THAT WE WERE RETURNING FOR LNDG. WE WERE SHUTTING DOWN SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL ITEMS AS WE ENTERED R BASE FOR RWY 24, AND RECEIVED OUR LNDG CLRNC FROM THE TWR. UPON TURNING FINAL (FOR RWY 24) WE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR, INCLUDING OUR LIGHTS. WE HAD THE VASI, RWY LIGHTS, AND LNDG CLRNC, SO WE LANDED. HOWEVER, SINCE THE TWR CTLR HAD LOST SIGHT OF US ON FINAL (NO LIGHTS), HE DECLARED AN EMER. AFTER WE TAXIED TO THE RAMP AND SHUT DOWN, WE HAD VARIOUS EMER PERSONNEL COLLECTING INFO FROM US. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR TO ANY PERSONS. WE APPRECIATE THE TWR CTLR'S PROMPT RESPONSE WHEN HE LOST VISUAL AND AURAL CONTACT WITH US.
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.