Narrative:

En route to ZZZ1 in aircraft purchased same day. About 10 mi out from ZZZ; complete electrical failure. Handheld GPS showed ZZZ nearby and there was limited visibility. The engine started to run rough. Prior to electrical failure; I had only heard ZZZ ATIS for altimeter setting to adjust en route to ZZZ1. Saw the airport and made an emergency landing on runway xxl after seeing departing aircraft on runway yyl. After landing; I saw personnel on runway and exited as soon as possible. Due to the electrical failure; the transponder code setting to 7600 apparently did not work as I saw no green light. I decided to land as soon as I could due to the emergency. The tower and airport police interviewed me and I was told I had landed on a runway that had been temporarily closed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AA1 PLT EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND ENG PROBS; ELECTED TO MAKE EMER LNDG ON CLOSED RWY; NO COM WITH ATC.

Narrative: ENRTE TO ZZZ1 IN ACFT PURCHASED SAME DAY. ABOUT 10 MI OUT FROM ZZZ; COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. HANDHELD GPS SHOWED ZZZ NEARBY AND THERE WAS LIMITED VISIBILITY. THE ENG STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. PRIOR TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE; I HAD ONLY HEARD ZZZ ATIS FOR ALTIMETER SETTING TO ADJUST ENRTE TO ZZZ1. SAW THE ARPT AND MADE AN EMER LNDG ON RWY XXL AFTER SEEING DEPARTING ACFT ON RWY YYL. AFTER LNDG; I SAW PERSONNEL ON RWY AND EXITED ASAP. DUE TO THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE; THE XPONDER CODE SETTING TO 7600 APPARENTLY DID NOT WORK AS I SAW NO GREEN LIGHT. I DECIDED TO LAND AS SOON AS I COULD DUE TO THE EMER. THE TWR AND ARPT POLICE INTERVIEWED ME AND I WAS TOLD I HAD LANDED ON A RWY THAT HAD BEEN TEMPORARILY CLOSED.

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.