Narrative:

Departing love field area to the south on my way to hou (houston hobby, houston, tx) I experienced a complete electrical failure. I was able to reach approach (who was controling me) by means of a hand-held radio I carry with me. The controller was very angry with me because I had been out of communication with him for a few mins, as I located and set up my hand-held to his frequency. I had tried to dial in '7600' into transponder, but because of electrical failure I don't know if he received this. When I did contact him I mistakenly told him I had had a 'radio failure' when I meant 'complete electrical failure.' then he asked me my altitude. Because of the stress of the situation or plain human mistake, I said '4500 ft' when I was actually at 3500 ft MSL. The controller went nuts -- telling me I had violated class B airspace and that when I was given an altitude, I had better stick to it (he had previously told me to climb and maintain 3500 ft). I immediately told him I was actually at 3500 ft and had misread my altimeter. I did this due to the stress I was under in dealing with electrical failure. I think the controller thought I lied when I said I'd misread altimeter. He told me to stay on course until clear of class B, despite fact I told him I wanted to terminate flight. I landed safely at lancaster airport, tx. Although I could have handled crisis better, I was poorly assisted by ATC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT HAD COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURES.

Narrative: DEPARTING LOVE FIELD AREA TO THE S ON MY WAY TO HOU (HOUSTON HOBBY, HOUSTON, TX) I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I WAS ABLE TO REACH APCH (WHO WAS CTLING ME) BY MEANS OF A HAND-HELD RADIO I CARRY WITH ME. THE CTLR WAS VERY ANGRY WITH ME BECAUSE I HAD BEEN OUT OF COM WITH HIM FOR A FEW MINS, AS I LOCATED AND SET UP MY HAND-HELD TO HIS FREQ. I HAD TRIED TO DIAL IN '7600' INTO XPONDER, BUT BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE I DON'T KNOW IF HE RECEIVED THIS. WHEN I DID CONTACT HIM I MISTAKENLY TOLD HIM I HAD HAD A 'RADIO FAILURE' WHEN I MEANT 'COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE.' THEN HE ASKED ME MY ALT. BECAUSE OF THE STRESS OF THE SIT OR PLAIN HUMAN MISTAKE, I SAID '4500 FT' WHEN I WAS ACTUALLY AT 3500 FT MSL. THE CTLR WENT NUTS -- TELLING ME I HAD VIOLATED CLASS B AIRSPACE AND THAT WHEN I WAS GIVEN AN ALT, I HAD BETTER STICK TO IT (HE HAD PREVIOUSLY TOLD ME TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 3500 FT). I IMMEDIATELY TOLD HIM I WAS ACTUALLY AT 3500 FT AND HAD MISREAD MY ALTIMETER. I DID THIS DUE TO THE STRESS I WAS UNDER IN DEALING WITH ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I THINK THE CTLR THOUGHT I LIED WHEN I SAID I'D MISREAD ALTIMETER. HE TOLD ME TO STAY ON COURSE UNTIL CLR OF CLASS B, DESPITE FACT I TOLD HIM I WANTED TO TERMINATE FLT. I LANDED SAFELY AT LANCASTER ARPT, TX. ALTHOUGH I COULD HAVE HANDLED CRISIS BETTER, I WAS POORLY ASSISTED BY ATC.

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.