GA small aircraft had electrical failure at cruise altitude. Diverted to alternate.

Attributes
ACN	107584
Time
Date	198903
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	107584
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On an IFR flight plan, I climbed on top of the clouds and proceeded to my destination, dayton cox airport. I experienced total electrical failure, and lost both communication, navigation, and my transponder. I encountered VFR conditions, landed at the nearest available airport and phoned FSS and dayton approach control. I returned the aircraft home under VFR and sent it to the shop. Mechanics are determining the cause of the fault now. Before returning home, I recharged the battery and the mechanic reset the main C/B. In retrospect, I may have overloaded the circuit with radios, transponder, pitot heat, and landing light.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA HAD ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT CRUISE ALT. DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, I CLBED ON TOP OF THE CLOUDS AND PROCEEDED TO MY DEST, DAYTON COX ARPT. I EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE, AND LOST BOTH COM, NAV, AND MY XPONDER. I ENCOUNTERED VFR CONDITIONS, LANDED AT THE NEAREST AVAILABLE ARPT AND PHONED FSS AND DAYTON APCH CTL. I RETURNED THE ACFT HOME UNDER VFR AND SENT IT TO THE SHOP. MECHS ARE DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF THE FAULT NOW. BEFORE RETURNING HOME, I RECHARGED THE BATTERY AND THE MECH RESET THE MAIN C/B. IN RETROSPECT, I MAY HAVE OVERLOADED THE CIRCUIT WITH RADIOS, XPONDER, PITOT HEAT, AND LNDG LIGHT.

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.