A cessna 172 in cruise at 6000 ft diverted due to complete loss of navigation and communication radios caused by an alternator slip ring brush not secured.

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Attributes
ACN	484821
Time
Date	200009
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mke.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 759 flight time type : 650
ASRS Report	484821
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft Company
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Lost all communication and navigation radios on IFR flight southeast of mke (en route to cgx) at 6000 ft. Thought that to try to continue on to cgx over lake michigan in mixed IMC could be very foolish. Descended to 1200 ft heading to ZZZ. While descending, found that the engine scanner was causing the loss of electrical power to all radios and electrical instruments. Regained communication with milwaukee approach. Was given radar help to get to ZZZ. ZZZ tower declared an emergency. Landed at ZZZ and the mechanic at FBO shop, bxy xox, ZZZ airport checked the electrical system. Found plug from autoplt disconnected, but didn't see anything wrong with the engine scanner, but did take it OTS by removing the fuse. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the newly installed engine had only 6 hours running time and the failure was a slip ring brush on the engine driven alternator. The reporter said the brush was not secured correctly and would intermittently bounce cutting off power.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CESSNA 172 IN CRUISE AT 6000 FT DIVERTED DUE TO COMPLETE LOSS OF NAV AND COM RADIOS CAUSED BY AN ALTERNATOR SLIP RING BRUSH NOT SECURED.

Narrative: LOST ALL COM AND NAV RADIOS ON IFR FLT SE OF MKE (ENRTE TO CGX) AT 6000 FT. THOUGHT THAT TO TRY TO CONTINUE ON TO CGX OVER LAKE MICHIGAN IN MIXED IMC COULD BE VERY FOOLISH. DSNDED TO 1200 FT HEADING TO ZZZ. WHILE DSNDING, FOUND THAT THE ENG SCANNER WAS CAUSING THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR TO ALL RADIOS AND ELECTRICAL INSTS. REGAINED COM WITH MILWAUKEE APCH. WAS GIVEN RADAR HELP TO GET TO ZZZ. ZZZ TWR DECLARED AN EMER. LANDED AT ZZZ AND THE MECH AT FBO SHOP, BXY XOX, ZZZ ARPT CHKED THE ELECTRICAL SYS. FOUND PLUG FROM AUTOPLT DISCONNECTED, BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE ENG SCANNER, BUT DID TAKE IT OTS BY REMOVING THE FUSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE NEWLY INSTALLED ENG HAD ONLY 6 HRS RUNNING TIME AND THE FAILURE WAS A SLIP RING BRUSH ON THE ENG DRIVEN ALTERNATOR. THE RPTR SAID THE BRUSH WAS NOT SECURED CORRECTLY AND WOULD INTERMITTENTLY BOUNCE CUTTING OFF PWR.

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.