A king air C90 in cruise had a complete electrical system failure caused by a shorted left starter g...

Attributes
ACN	384260
Time
Date	199710
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sgd
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : sgd
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1650 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	384260
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On a part 91 VFR flight from monterey, ca, to napa, ca, I experienced total electrical failure. This is typically a 30 min flight in the king air. My first indication was during clb out at mry when departure control had trouble receiving my xmissions. I continued to climb to 8500 ft and reset the generators. After 10 mins of troubleshooting I shut down all the non essential accessories and attempted to lower the gear. At this time we lost all the electrical, including the gear safe lights. I continued to napa and phoned the tower and a mechanic. A fly-by established the gear was not down and locked. I then did the emergency extension and another fly-by which established that the gear was down. I landed at napa without incident. Upon inspection it was determined that the left starter generator had shorted out and subsequently drained the battery. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a king air C90 and had previous electrical problems with the left starter generator blowing current limiters. The reporter said the starter generator system has been reliable with no major problems. The reporter stated the left generator was due for replacement this week for time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A KING AIR C90 IN CRUISE HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL SYS FAILURE CAUSED BY A SHORTED L STARTER GENERATOR.

Narrative: ON A PART 91 VFR FLT FROM MONTEREY, CA, TO NAPA, CA, I EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THIS IS TYPICALLY A 30 MIN FLT IN THE KING AIR. MY FIRST INDICATION WAS DURING Clb out AT MRY WHEN DEP CTL HAD TROUBLE RECEIVING MY XMISSIONS. I CONTINUED TO CLB TO 8500 FT AND RESET THE GENERATORS. AFTER 10 MINS OF TROUBLESHOOTING I SHUT DOWN ALL THE NON ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES AND ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE GEAR. AT THIS TIME WE LOST ALL THE ELECTRICAL, INCLUDING THE GEAR SAFE LIGHTS. I CONTINUED TO NAPA AND PHONED THE TWR AND A MECH. A FLY-BY ESTABLISHED THE GEAR WAS NOT DOWN AND LOCKED. I THEN DID THE EMER EXTENSION AND ANOTHER FLY-BY WHICH ESTABLISHED THAT THE GEAR WAS DOWN. I LANDED AT NAPA WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE L STARTER GENERATOR HAD SHORTED OUT AND SUBSEQUENTLY DRAINED THE BATTERY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A KING AIR C90 AND HAD PREVIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBS WITH THE L STARTER GENERATOR BLOWING CURRENT LIMITERS. THE RPTR SAID THE STARTER GENERATOR SYS HAS BEEN RELIABLE WITH NO MAJOR PROBS. THE RPTR STATED THE L GENERATOR WAS DUE FOR REPLACEMENT THIS WK FOR TIME.

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.

A king air C90 in cruise had a complete electrical system failure caused by a shorted left starter generator.