A PA28 pilot experiences a total loss of AC generator while IFR on top of an overcast, finds a hole for descent, and diverts to jan, ms, via pilotage.

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Attributes
ACN	591386
Time
Date	200308
Day	Wed
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jan.airport
State Reference	MS
Altitude	agl bound lower : 900 agl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jan.tower tracon : bil.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 410 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	591386
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical airspace violation : entry altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : radio/instrument other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Proceeding IFR from pensacola fl to stuttgart, arkansas. After passing green county VOR on V11, lost all electrical power. All instruments (navigational, radio, etc) inoperative. Proceeding at 8000 ft, alternator belt loosened, and only battery was discharging. Proceeded to descend to land as soon as possible. Broadcasted once on 121.5 and squawked 7700. Found a hole and entered through overcast about 2000-3000 ft thick. Leveled out over the forest at approximately 900 ft. Could not ascend thereafter, because cloud base was at 1000 ft. Found a dirt road, which led to a paved road, which led to intercepting I-20 in mississippi. Followed interstate 20 west to jackson. Read road signs, but couldn't locate position on our sectional chart. Finally, read a road sign that read jackson 21, meaning 21 mi. Shortly thereafter, sighted jackson international, got a tower green light and landed without further ado. Alternator belt loose and partially frayed or stripped with black powder like residue at that site.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA28 PLT EXPERIENCES A TOTAL LOSS OF AC GENERATOR WHILE IFR ON TOP OF AN OVCST, FINDS A HOLE FOR DSCNT, AND DIVERTS TO JAN, MS, VIA PILOTAGE.

Narrative: PROCEEDING IFR FROM PENSACOLA FL TO STUTTGART, ARKANSAS. AFTER PASSING GREEN COUNTY VOR ON V11, LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR. ALL INSTS (NAVIGATIONAL, RADIO, ETC) INOP. PROCEEDING AT 8000 FT, ALTERNATOR BELT LOOSENED, AND ONLY BATTERY WAS DISCHARGING. PROCEEDED TO DSND TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BROADCASTED ONCE ON 121.5 AND SQUAWKED 7700. FOUND A HOLE AND ENTERED THROUGH OVCST ABOUT 2000-3000 FT THICK. LEVELED OUT OVER THE FOREST AT APPROX 900 FT. COULD NOT ASCEND THEREAFTER, BECAUSE CLOUD BASE WAS AT 1000 FT. FOUND A DIRT ROAD, WHICH LED TO A PAVED ROAD, WHICH LED TO INTERCEPTING I-20 IN MISSISSIPPI. FOLLOWED INTERSTATE 20 W TO JACKSON. READ ROAD SIGNS, BUT COULDN'T LOCATE POS ON OUR SECTIONAL CHART. FINALLY, READ A ROAD SIGN THAT READ JACKSON 21, MEANING 21 MI. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, SIGHTED JACKSON INTL, GOT A TWR GREEN LIGHT AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER ADO. ALTERNATOR BELT LOOSE AND PARTIALLY FRAYED OR STRIPPED WITH BLACK POWDER LIKE RESIDUE AT THAT SITE.

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.