Piper aerostar departs under marginal VMC from nqa and flies for 35 mins after loss of both alternat...

Attributes
ACN	457327
Time
Date	199912
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl single value : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog Ice
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-60 601/601P Aerostar
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR Combined VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
ASRS Report	457327
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local controller : non radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : warning lights other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

On dec/sun/99, I flew from den on IFR flight to nqa. I landed at nqa with 500 ft ceiling on ILS runway 22 approach. I took on 60 gals fuel and filed and was cleared to 3a1 (home base). I received a gpu start after starting problems with a low battery hot starts. Shortly after takeoff about 400 ft AGL in IMC both left and right alternators went off line. The panel lights dimmed. The temperature/dewpoint spread was 1 degree C. I heard approach clear traffic for an ILS CAT 3 approach. My WX briefing forecast 2000 ft ceiling at huntsville. I chose to fly to hsv in IMC and land VFR. I called memphis departure, advised them of my situation, intentions, shut down all electrical (turned off master switch). I flew 35 mins on 104 degree heading at 5000 ft MSL. I had ground contact at MSL, descended and landed visual at hsv. My communication radio would receive but not transmit. I had contact with huntsville approach. They were aware of my situation. Piper aerostar PA60-601P.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER AEROSTAR DEPARTS UNDER MARGINAL VMC FROM NQA AND FLIES FOR 35 MINS AFTER LOSS OF BOTH ALTERNATORS.

Narrative: ON DEC/SUN/99, I FLEW FROM DEN ON IFR FLT TO NQA. I LANDED AT NQA WITH 500 FT CEILING ON ILS RWY 22 APCH. I TOOK ON 60 GALS FUEL AND FILED AND WAS CLRED TO 3A1 (HOME BASE). I RECEIVED A GPU START AFTER STARTING PROBS WITH A LOW BATTERY HOT STARTS. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF ABOUT 400 FT AGL IN IMC BOTH L AND R ALTERNATORS WENT OFF LINE. THE PANEL LIGHTS DIMMED. THE TEMP/DEWPOINT SPREAD WAS 1 DEG C. I HEARD APCH CLR TFC FOR AN ILS CAT 3 APCH. MY WX BRIEFING FORECAST 2000 FT CEILING AT HUNTSVILLE. I CHOSE TO FLY TO HSV IN IMC AND LAND VFR. I CALLED MEMPHIS DEP, ADVISED THEM OF MY SIT, INTENTIONS, SHUT DOWN ALL ELECTRICAL (TURNED OFF MASTER SWITCH). I FLEW 35 MINS ON 104 DEG HDG AT 5000 FT MSL. I HAD GND CONTACT AT MSL, DSNDED AND LANDED VISUAL AT HSV. MY COM RADIO WOULD RECEIVE BUT NOT XMIT. I HAD CONTACT WITH HUNTSVILLE APCH. THEY WERE AWARE OF MY SIT. PIPER AEROSTAR PA60-601P.

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.

Piper aerostar departs under marginal VMC from nqa and flies for 35 mins after loss of both alternators.