GA small aircraft return land due aircraft equipment problem.

Attributes
ACN	113233
Time
Date	198906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ads
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2200 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ads tower : ykm
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 10
ASRS Report	113233
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While departing addison airport, en route to a training area with a student, low voltage light came on with the amp meter showing a corresponding discharge. Increasing RPM, checking the circuit breakers and recycling the master switch produced no positive results. Contacted addison tower and told them of my intentions of returning to addison due to electrical problems. En route back to addison, controller declared an emergency and cleared me to land in front of 3 aircraft on final in sequence. Asked if I needed emergency equipment, I responded in the negative. On short final, I noticed an small aircraft Y off my right wing tip, 100 yds or so, not responding to the controller's instructions to divert. Also, looking down the runway I could see 3 to 4 emergency units, lights flashing, standing by on the txwys. I landed without incident. I believe the situation got out of hand due to a lack of communication. The controller declared an emergency, though I never declared an emergency, and the small aircraft Y wasn't paying attention to the controller's instructions. Secondary contributors to the situation was heavy traffic at the time and I was informed later that the controller may have been a trainee.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA RETURN LAND DUE ACFT EQUIPMENT PROBLEM.

Narrative: WHILE DEPARTING ADDISON ARPT, ENRTE TO A TRAINING AREA WITH A STUDENT, LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE AMP METER SHOWING A CORRESPONDING DISCHARGE. INCREASING RPM, CHECKING THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND RECYCLING THE MASTER SWITCH PRODUCED NO POSITIVE RESULTS. CONTACTED ADDISON TWR AND TOLD THEM OF MY INTENTIONS OF RETURNING TO ADDISON DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. ENRTE BACK TO ADDISON, CTLR DECLARED AN EMER AND CLRED ME TO LAND IN FRONT OF 3 ACFT ON FINAL IN SEQUENCE. ASKED IF I NEEDED EMER EQUIPMENT, I RESPONDED IN THE NEGATIVE. ON SHORT FINAL, I NOTICED AN SMA Y OFF MY RIGHT WING TIP, 100 YDS OR SO, NOT RESPONDING TO THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO DIVERT. ALSO, LOOKING DOWN THE RWY I COULD SEE 3 TO 4 EMER UNITS, LIGHTS FLASHING, STANDING BY ON THE TXWYS. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION GOT OUT OF HAND DUE TO A LACK OF COM. THE CTLR DECLARED AN EMER, THOUGH I NEVER DECLARED AN EMER, AND THE SMA Y WASN'T PAYING ATTN TO THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS. SECONDARY CONTRIBUTORS TO THE SITUATION WAS HEAVY TFC AT THE TIME AND I WAS INFORMED LATER THAT THE CTLR MAY HAVE BEEN A TRAINEE.

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.