BE95 pilot experiences complete electrical failure due to generators being left off during preflight...

Attributes
ACN	610075
Time
Date	200403
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cps.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : t75.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Starship Model 2000
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 14 flight time total : 3300 flight time type : 30
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On entering st louis approach area all my electrical equipment failed. I had no navigation equipment, but I did have a standby radio to call approach control and after awhile he was able to steer me to cps and he also called the tower to make them aware of me. I then switched to the tower frequency and got permission to land. While doing so I found my generators were off line. I then switched them on and everything worked. Landing was ok. The mistake I made was on run-up at igq I checked each generator off to see if the other picked up the load. But I didn't check to see that I turned them back on. Then the airplane was operating strictly on the battery and it failed close to st louis approach area. I will now put a place on my 'before takeoff checklist' to make sure both generators are on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE95 PLT EXPERIENCES COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE DUE TO GENERATORS BEING LEFT OFF DURING PREFLT.

Narrative: ON ENTERING ST LOUIS APCH AREA ALL MY ELECTRICAL EQUIP FAILED. I HAD NO NAV EQUIP, BUT I DID HAVE A STANDBY RADIO TO CALL APCH CTL AND AFTER AWHILE HE WAS ABLE TO STEER ME TO CPS AND HE ALSO CALLED THE TWR TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF ME. I THEN SWITCHED TO THE TWR FREQ AND GOT PERMISSION TO LAND. WHILE DOING SO I FOUND MY GENERATORS WERE OFF LINE. I THEN SWITCHED THEM ON AND EVERYTHING WORKED. LNDG WAS OK. THE MISTAKE I MADE WAS ON RUN-UP AT IGQ I CHKED EACH GENERATOR OFF TO SEE IF THE OTHER PICKED UP THE LOAD. BUT I DIDN'T CHK TO SEE THAT I TURNED THEM BACK ON. THEN THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATING STRICTLY ON THE BATTERY AND IT FAILED CLOSE TO ST LOUIS APCH AREA. I WILL NOW PUT A PLACE ON MY 'BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST' TO MAKE SURE BOTH GENERATORS ARE ON.

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.