Partial loss of electrical system, continued to destination with radar vectors.

Attributes
ACN	91128
Time
Date	198807
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pxt
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v93
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1500
ASRS Report	91128
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Level flight 5 mi northeast pxt V93 on flight from ith to ric. Above overcast, tops 4000'. Ric WX 11000' overcast, 5 mi, pxt--500 scattered, 1000' overcast. Noticed apparent elec problem, radios dark, DME dark, ammeter showing discharge. Turned all unnecessary radios off. Pxt confirmed low power output with no transponder return. Pxt approach suggested landing at st mary's. Vectored toward st mary's, navigation radios still functioning. Requested vectors to ric. Landed ric under emergency handling. Normal landing. Possible error in judgement to continue to ric, overflying tappahannock. Clear that during emergency necessary to guard against excessive focus on problem to exclusion of consideration or alternatives.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PARTIAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, CONTINUED TO DESTINATION WITH RADAR VECTORS.

Narrative: LEVEL FLT 5 MI NE PXT V93 ON FLT FROM ITH TO RIC. ABOVE OVCST, TOPS 4000'. RIC WX 11000' OVCST, 5 MI, PXT--500 SCATTERED, 1000' OVCST. NOTICED APPARENT ELEC PROB, RADIOS DARK, DME DARK, AMMETER SHOWING DISCHARGE. TURNED ALL UNNECESSARY RADIOS OFF. PXT CONFIRMED LOW PWR OUTPUT WITH NO TRANSPONDER RETURN. PXT APCH SUGGESTED LNDG AT ST MARY'S. VECTORED TOWARD ST MARY'S, NAV RADIOS STILL FUNCTIONING. REQUESTED VECTORS TO RIC. LANDED RIC UNDER EMER HANDLING. NORMAL LNDG. POSSIBLE ERROR IN JUDGEMENT TO CONTINUE TO RIC, OVERFLYING TAPPAHANNOCK. CLEAR THAT DURING EMER NECESSARY TO GUARD AGAINST EXCESSIVE FOCUS ON PROB TO EXCLUSION OF CONSIDERATION OR ALTERNATIVES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.