A C172 private pilot takes off from dlh without beacon light or landing lights when his electrical system allows only the lights or the radios to be working individually, not at the same time.

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Attributes
ACN	460412
Time
Date	200001
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dlh.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dlh.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial cruise : level ground : takeoff roll ground : taxi
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 34 flight time total : 102 flight time type : 102
ASRS Report	460412
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ammeter other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I flew up to duluth, mn, from brd in a C172. As I was leaving duluth to go back to brd, I noticed during the run-up that my ammeter light was on. The ammeter would stop glowing if I shut off my navigation beacon lights and my landing light. It was, however, nighttime. When my lights were on, I could only monitor the radio frequency. I could not transmit on it. So I decided to keep them off so I could talk to duluth tower. Once I was in the air, I turned on my lights until I had to transmit on the radio, then I would turn them off. About 5-10 mins after takeoff, I had a complete electrical system failure. Nothing worked that was electrical on the airplane. Luckily, I had my cell phone, so I called duluth tower and told them my situation. When I was on the phone with them, I had an airport picked out to land at. Then, the electrical system started working again. I believe the problem was cold WX related. The temperature in duluth was -11 degrees C. I landed the plane safely in brd at XA45.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PVT PLT TAKES OFF FROM DLH WITHOUT BEACON LIGHT OR LNDG LIGHTS WHEN HIS ELECTRICAL SYS ALLOWS ONLY THE LIGHTS OR THE RADIOS TO BE WORKING INDIVIDUALLY, NOT AT THE SAME TIME.

Narrative: I FLEW UP TO DULUTH, MN, FROM BRD IN A C172. AS I WAS LEAVING DULUTH TO GO BACK TO BRD, I NOTICED DURING THE RUN-UP THAT MY AMMETER LIGHT WAS ON. THE AMMETER WOULD STOP GLOWING IF I SHUT OFF MY NAV BEACON LIGHTS AND MY LNDG LIGHT. IT WAS, HOWEVER, NIGHTTIME. WHEN MY LIGHTS WERE ON, I COULD ONLY MONITOR THE RADIO FREQ. I COULD NOT XMIT ON IT. SO I DECIDED TO KEEP THEM OFF SO I COULD TALK TO DULUTH TWR. ONCE I WAS IN THE AIR, I TURNED ON MY LIGHTS UNTIL I HAD TO XMIT ON THE RADIO, THEN I WOULD TURN THEM OFF. ABOUT 5-10 MINS AFTER TKOF, I HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL SYS FAILURE. NOTHING WORKED THAT WAS ELECTRICAL ON THE AIRPLANE. LUCKILY, I HAD MY CELL PHONE, SO I CALLED DULUTH TWR AND TOLD THEM MY SIT. WHEN I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH THEM, I HAD AN ARPT PICKED OUT TO LAND AT. THEN, THE ELECTRICAL SYS STARTED WORKING AGAIN. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS COLD WX RELATED. THE TEMP IN DULUTH WAS -11 DEGS C. I LANDED THE PLANE SAFELY IN BRD AT XA45.

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.