Narrative:

During my return flight I began to notice a non-charging situation on the ammeter. After listening to ATIS; then contacting approach and receiving my squawk code; everything seemed normal; radio wise. Approach assigned me to runway 9 and I began my approach. Then the controller asked me if I would take runway 13 and head north because of a regional jet was close and was to land on the same runway (nine). I agreed and told them that I could configure for runway 13. After that transmission the controller asked me to head further north then contact the tower. After contacting the tower; I was asked to report on a two mile final for 13. During my approach to 13 I heard some static and noise on the radio but nothing I could understand; just figured it was just the old radios in our club plane making noise. I reported my position at two miles out as instructed. After landing and taxing the length of the runway almost; I didn't hear anything from the tower. I then turned of at the last exit and noticed a green flashing light from the tower. I then tried to contact the ground controller and got no response. I then realized I had no radio and the flashing green light was giving me the ok to taxi to the ramp. When I stopped for fuel I called the tower and told them I had no radio and told them I would use the truck radio to ask for a clearance to taxi to the south tee hangars. After fueling the planes battery was totally dead and the FBO had to give me a jump start to move the plane to the hangars. After talking to the tower people I found out that they tried to call me during my short final to do a go-around because the regional jet was using an intersecting runway and this was a possible safety hazard. Instead the jet had to do a go-around because I couldn't hear the towers request. As I look back on this situation. 1. The problem was caused by the planes faulty charging system; which caused the battery to be drained to where the radios wouldn't work.2. Better situational awareness on my part; I should have tried to call the tower one more time after reporting on my two mile final.3. Just because during the last few months we were flying without local radar and were told by the tower to report on two mile final on most landings; doesn't mean I was cleared to land this time. 4. When and if this happens again; I will initiate a go-around and rock my wings and look for the light gun in the tower.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 pilot reports landing without clearance and missing an instruction to go-around; after electrical failure rendered his radio inoperative.

Narrative: During my return flight I began to notice a non-charging situation on the ammeter. After listening to ATIS; then contacting approach and receiving my squawk code; everything seemed normal; radio wise. Approach assigned me to Runway 9 and I began my approach. Then the Controller asked me if I would take Runway 13 and head north because of a regional jet was close and was to land on the same runway (nine). I agreed and told them that I could configure for Runway 13. After that transmission the Controller asked me to head further north then contact the tower. After contacting the tower; I was asked to report on a two mile final for 13. During my approach to 13 I heard some static and noise on the radio but nothing I could understand; just figured it was just the old radios in our club plane making noise. I reported my position at two miles out as instructed. After landing and taxing the length of the runway almost; I didn't hear anything from the tower. I then turned of at the last exit and noticed a green flashing light from the tower. I then tried to contact the Ground Controller and got no response. I then realized I had no radio and the flashing green light was giving me the ok to taxi to the ramp. When I stopped for fuel I called the tower and told them I had no radio and told them I would use the truck radio to ask for a clearance to taxi to the south tee hangars. After fueling the planes battery was totally dead and the FBO had to give me a jump start to move the plane to the hangars. After talking to the tower people I found out that they tried to call me during my short final to do a go-around because the regional jet was using an intersecting runway and this was a possible safety hazard. Instead the jet had to do a go-around because I couldn't hear the towers request. As I look back on this situation. 1. The problem was caused by the planes faulty charging system; which caused the battery to be drained to where the radios wouldn't work.2. Better situational awareness on my part; I should have tried to call the Tower one more time after reporting on my two mile final.3. Just because during the last few months we were flying without local radar and were told by the Tower to report on two mile final on most landings; doesn't mean I was cleared to land this time. 4. When and if this happens again; I will initiate a go-around and rock my wings and look for the light gun in the tower.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.