Narrative:

I was en route from ZZZ to lbb. I was at 6500 ft and was using flight following from center. I was handed off to lubbock approach and contacted them. I was acknowledged and told to proceed inbound for straight-in to runway 26. At some point between F49 and 5f1, I noted that the cabin lights were dimmed. I did not take any special notice because I could hear approach and everything seemed to be working. When I noted that my ammeter was reading zero, I attempted to contact approach and all lights and radios went off as soon as I pushed the ptt button. I immediately squawked 7600 and began to use my cell phone to contact the ground. I was unable to contact anyone due to signal coverage until approximately 10 mi southeast of lbb. I decided not to divert to F49, due to its pilot controled lighting. I would not be able to activate the pilot controlled lighting. Eventually I contacted ftw radio on my cell phone. I circled approximately 8 mi southeast of lbb awaiting a light gun. I lost my connection and called the FBO who patched me directly to the tower. They warned me of traffic off my right wing that had previously passed. I was easily able to avoid them. On the cell phone I was cleared to land on runway 26 and I kept phone contact with tower until I was cleared to taxi to the ramp. I contacted the tower by phone and was told by the controller that no further action would be required. I feel that this was caused by a sudden loss of alternator power and drain of the battery. I do not think it was preventable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT USES CELL PHONE FOR COM AFTER AIRBORNE ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE FROM ZZZ TO LBB. I WAS AT 6500 FT AND WAS USING FLT FOLLOWING FROM CTR. I WAS HANDED OFF TO LUBBOCK APCH AND CONTACTED THEM. I WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND TOLD TO PROCEED INBOUND FOR STRAIGHT-IN TO RWY 26. AT SOME POINT BTWN F49 AND 5F1, I NOTED THAT THE CABIN LIGHTS WERE DIMMED. I DID NOT TAKE ANY SPECIAL NOTICE BECAUSE I COULD HEAR APCH AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE WORKING. WHEN I NOTED THAT MY AMMETER WAS READING ZERO, I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT APCH AND ALL LIGHTS AND RADIOS WENT OFF AS SOON AS I PUSHED THE PTT BUTTON. I IMMEDIATELY SQUAWKED 7600 AND BEGAN TO USE MY CELL PHONE TO CONTACT THE GND. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ANYONE DUE TO SIGNAL COVERAGE UNTIL APPROX 10 MI SE OF LBB. I DECIDED NOT TO DIVERT TO F49, DUE TO ITS PLT CTLED LIGHTING. I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE THE PCL. EVENTUALLY I CONTACTED FTW RADIO ON MY CELL PHONE. I CIRCLED APPROX 8 MI SE OF LBB AWAITING A LIGHT GUN. I LOST MY CONNECTION AND CALLED THE FBO WHO PATCHED ME DIRECTLY TO THE TWR. THEY WARNED ME OF TFC OFF MY R WING THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY PASSED. I WAS EASILY ABLE TO AVOID THEM. ON THE CELL PHONE I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 26 AND I KEPT PHONE CONTACT WITH TWR UNTIL I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO THE RAMP. I CONTACTED THE TWR BY PHONE AND WAS TOLD BY THE CTLR THAT NO FURTHER ACTION WOULD BE REQUIRED. I FEEL THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY A SUDDEN LOSS OF ALTERNATOR PWR AND DRAIN OF THE BATTERY. I DO NOT THINK IT WAS PREVENTABLE.

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.