Narrative:

Shortly before XA00 I took off from ZZZ1 on an IFR flight plan to ZZZ2. The flight should have taken about 1 hour. The ceiling at ZZZ1 was 1500 ft on takeoff and the forecast at ZZZ2 was 900 ft. Many locations in between were below minimums. I filed ZZZ3 as my alternate. About 10 mins into the flight; while IMC at 6000 ft while flying from ZZZ1 VOR to abc intersection; I noticed static on both radios. Shortly thereafter; ATC could not hear me although I could hear them. When asked to recycle my transponder; I saw that it was not operating even though it was turned on. Next I got an inoperative flag on the HSI and then the whole panel went black for a short time. I saw that the amp needle was negative; so I shut off the alternator; waited a while; and turned it back on in an effort to reset the internal circuit breaker. It did not work. I had a handheld GPS working on an external battery. With this; I kept flying the correct course at 6000 ft. I tried to declare an emergency; but no one could hear me. My initial concern was getting vertigo while IMC since I had to reach down to get my handheld microphone and other things. About 30 mi southwest of ZZZ1 at 6000 ft; I broke out of the clouds. In order to avoid re-entering the clouds and risking vertigo; I had to climb to 10000 ft. This gave me time to get out my handheld radio and attach it to an external antenna. Finally I was able to reach ATC; declare an emergency and return to ZZZ1. At 10 mi from ZZZ1; I lowered the gear manually and requested a rapid descent to the airport at ZZZ1. I was told to descend to 5000 ft. I arrived at 5000 ft over ZZZ1 heading west. I was then cleared to 3000 ft. I turned on the battery and my GPS. I entered and activated the ILS. I was cleared for the approach; then cleared to land; and did so. After taxiing off the runway; the alternator magically started working again. How to avoid this problem: 1) there should be some sort of alarm or warning when an alternator fails. 2) checking the alternator should be part of every preflight -- IFR or VFR. 3) every IFR airplane should have a back-up alternator. 4) every IFR airplane should have alternate navigation and communication tools with independent electrical sources.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A36 ALTERNATOR FAILED WHILE IMC BUT WITH BOTH A HANDHELD GPS AND RADIO; THE PLT CONTACTED ATC FOR RETURN LAND CLRNC.

Narrative: SHORTLY BEFORE XA00 I TOOK OFF FROM ZZZ1 ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO ZZZ2. THE FLT SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ABOUT 1 HR. THE CEILING AT ZZZ1 WAS 1500 FT ON TKOF AND THE FORECAST AT ZZZ2 WAS 900 FT. MANY LOCATIONS IN BTWN WERE BELOW MINIMUMS. I FILED ZZZ3 AS MY ALTERNATE. ABOUT 10 MINS INTO THE FLT; WHILE IMC AT 6000 FT WHILE FLYING FROM ZZZ1 VOR TO ABC INTXN; I NOTICED STATIC ON BOTH RADIOS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; ATC COULD NOT HEAR ME ALTHOUGH I COULD HEAR THEM. WHEN ASKED TO RECYCLE MY XPONDER; I SAW THAT IT WAS NOT OPERATING EVEN THOUGH IT WAS TURNED ON. NEXT I GOT AN INOP FLAG ON THE HSI AND THEN THE WHOLE PANEL WENT BLACK FOR A SHORT TIME. I SAW THAT THE AMP NEEDLE WAS NEGATIVE; SO I SHUT OFF THE ALTERNATOR; WAITED A WHILE; AND TURNED IT BACK ON IN AN EFFORT TO RESET THE INTERNAL CIRCUIT BREAKER. IT DID NOT WORK. I HAD A HANDHELD GPS WORKING ON AN EXTERNAL BATTERY. WITH THIS; I KEPT FLYING THE CORRECT COURSE AT 6000 FT. I TRIED TO DECLARE AN EMER; BUT NO ONE COULD HEAR ME. MY INITIAL CONCERN WAS GETTING VERTIGO WHILE IMC SINCE I HAD TO REACH DOWN TO GET MY HANDHELD MIKE AND OTHER THINGS. ABOUT 30 MI SW OF ZZZ1 AT 6000 FT; I BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS. IN ORDER TO AVOID RE-ENTERING THE CLOUDS AND RISKING VERTIGO; I HAD TO CLB TO 10000 FT. THIS GAVE ME TIME TO GET OUT MY HANDHELD RADIO AND ATTACH IT TO AN EXTERNAL ANTENNA. FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO REACH ATC; DECLARE AN EMER AND RETURN TO ZZZ1. AT 10 MI FROM ZZZ1; I LOWERED THE GEAR MANUALLY AND REQUESTED A RAPID DSCNT TO THE ARPT AT ZZZ1. I WAS TOLD TO DSND TO 5000 FT. I ARRIVED AT 5000 FT OVER ZZZ1 HEADING W. I WAS THEN CLRED TO 3000 FT. I TURNED ON THE BATTERY AND MY GPS. I ENTERED AND ACTIVATED THE ILS. I WAS CLRED FOR THE APCH; THEN CLRED TO LAND; AND DID SO. AFTER TAXIING OFF THE RWY; THE ALTERNATOR MAGICALLY STARTED WORKING AGAIN. HOW TO AVOID THIS PROB: 1) THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF ALARM OR WARNING WHEN AN ALTERNATOR FAILS. 2) CHKING THE ALTERNATOR SHOULD BE PART OF EVERY PREFLT -- IFR OR VFR. 3) EVERY IFR AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE A BACK-UP ALTERNATOR. 4) EVERY IFR AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE ALTERNATE NAV AND COM TOOLS WITH INDEPENDENT ELECTRICAL SOURCES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.