<< >> NASA ASRS Report 406499, June 1998

Pilot of C172 has electrical failure and loses radios and navigation equipment. He diverts to nearby airport and is given green light by tower.

Attributes
ACN	406499
Time
Date	199806
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fat
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fat tower : lga
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 28000 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	406499
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was flying from placerville, ca, to van nuys, ca, for a pleasure trip. While cruising at 7500 ft in a rented C172 all was routine and normal until approaching fresno. Very quickly the radios went dead then followed by navigation and ics. All electrical system failed and a vague odor filtered into the cabin. We spotted fresno airport and flew triangle pattern towards the field. Landing was uneventful and a green light was received from tower to taxi forward. Maintenance was contacted and they found the battery had shorted out. All of our information and finding were then shared with the fresno tower and ATC personnel. They were very helpful during the event and debriefing. Cellphone would have been handy. Standby radio would have been handy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF C172 HAS ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND LOSES RADIOS AND NAV EQUIP. HE DIVERTS TO NEARBY ARPT AND IS GIVEN GREEN LIGHT BY TWR.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM PLACERVILLE, CA, TO VAN NUYS, CA, FOR A PLEASURE TRIP. WHILE CRUISING AT 7500 FT IN A RENTED C172 ALL WAS ROUTINE AND NORMAL UNTIL APCHING FRESNO. VERY QUICKLY THE RADIOS WENT DEAD THEN FOLLOWED BY NAV AND ICS. ALL ELECTRICAL SYS FAILED AND A VAGUE ODOR FILTERED INTO THE CABIN. WE SPOTTED FRESNO ARPT AND FLEW TRIANGLE PATTERN TOWARDS THE FIELD. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND A GREEN LIGHT WAS RECEIVED FROM TWR TO TAXI FORWARD. MAINT WAS CONTACTED AND THEY FOUND THE BATTERY HAD SHORTED OUT. ALL OF OUR INFO AND FINDING WERE THEN SHARED WITH THE FRESNO TWR AND ATC PERSONNEL. THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL DURING THE EVENT AND DEBRIEFING. CELLPHONE WOULD HAVE BEEN HANDY. STANDBY RADIO WOULD HAVE BEEN HANDY.

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.