C172 instructor pilot and student pilot had a generator failure on a night flight. The instructor pilot accidentally squawked the hijack code rather than the lost communication code.

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Attributes
ACN	613663
Time
Date	200404
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : boi.airport
State Reference	ID
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : boi.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 615
ASRS Report	613663
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
ASRS Report	614048
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ammeter other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While on a cross country night flight with a student pilot in the above mentioned aircraft, ammeter started to show signs of an alternator failure. Student pilot established radio communications with boise approach, received a landing clearance and was given a squawk code. I briefed the student on what we would do if we lost radio communications with boise approach and we would squawk 7600 on the transponder. While entering the downwind leg for runway 28R, we lost all transmitting capabilities with boise tower. We started looking for light gun signals and I switched the transponder to lost communication code. This is where I made my mistake. I mistakenly entered the 7500 code in the transponder. The remainder of the flight went without any problems. Tower told me of my mistake while I was on the ground and I changed to the 7600 code. The lesson learned here is doublechk all settings and I will never make that mistake again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 INSTRUCTOR PLT AND STUDENT PLT HAD A GENERATOR FAILURE ON A NIGHT FLT. THE INSTRUCTOR PLT ACCIDENTALLY SQUAWKED THE HIJACK CODE RATHER THAN THE LOST COM CODE.

Narrative: WHILE ON A XCOUNTRY NIGHT FLT WITH A STUDENT PLT IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED ACFT, AMMETER STARTED TO SHOW SIGNS OF AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE. STUDENT PLT ESTABLISHED RADIO COMS WITH BOISE APCH, RECEIVED A LNDG CLRNC AND WAS GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE. I BRIEFED THE STUDENT ON WHAT WE WOULD DO IF WE LOST RADIO COMS WITH BOISE APCH AND WE WOULD SQUAWK 7600 ON THE XPONDER. WHILE ENTERING THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR RWY 28R, WE LOST ALL XMITTING CAPABILITIES WITH BOISE TWR. WE STARTED LOOKING FOR LIGHT GUN SIGNALS AND I SWITCHED THE XPONDER TO LOST COM CODE. THIS IS WHERE I MADE MY MISTAKE. I MISTAKENLY ENTERED THE 7500 CODE IN THE XPONDER. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WENT WITHOUT ANY PROBS. TWR TOLD ME OF MY MISTAKE WHILE I WAS ON THE GND AND I CHANGED TO THE 7600 CODE. THE LESSON LEARNED HERE IS DOUBLECHK ALL SETTINGS AND I WILL NEVER MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN.

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.