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A beech 76 in climb at 1500 ft diverted due to total loss of electrical power caused by low electrolyte level in lead acid batteries.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 518448 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200107 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ewb.airport |
| State Reference | MA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : cvg.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Duchess 76 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | departure : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 518448 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport other |
| Consequence | other |
| Factors | |
| Maintenance | performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : scheduled maintenance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Company |
Narrative:
While flying BE76/15 (duchess), and just prior to entering IMC, I experienced total electrical failure. From normal operations, all electrical power was lost in the space of 2-3 mins. Response: immediate return to ewb while remaining VFR, emergency landing gear extension including a tower fly-by to confirm the gear was down and locked, and a light gun clearance from ewb tower. Cause of problem: 2 batteries (12 volt), in series, (lead acid) only 1/2 filled with electrolyte failed as the water boiled off.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BEECH 76 IN CLB AT 1500 FT DIVERTED DUE TO TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR CAUSED BY LOW ELECTROLYTE LEVEL IN LEAD ACID BATTERIES.
Narrative: WHILE FLYING BE76/15 (DUCHESS), AND JUST PRIOR TO ENTERING IMC, I EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. FROM NORMAL OPS, ALL ELECTRICAL PWR WAS LOST IN THE SPACE OF 2-3 MINS. RESPONSE: IMMEDIATE RETURN TO EWB WHILE REMAINING VFR, EMER LNDG GEAR EXTENSION INCLUDING A TWR FLY-BY TO CONFIRM THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED, AND A LIGHT GUN CLRNC FROM EWB TWR. CAUSE OF PROB: 2 BATTERIES (12 VOLT), IN SERIES, (LEAD ACID) ONLY 1/2 FILLED WITH ELECTROLYTE FAILED AS THE WATER BOILED OFF.
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.