Narrative:

IFR from wht to crq 5000 MSL. Departure WX: 3-4 mi visibility in haze (tops of haze layer 3500). Forecast at destination: 11 scattered 24 broken 10 mi visibility. Shortly before XA00 PDT, I was released under IFR with vectors to join V-186. (The clearance routing was V186 to V363 to V23 ocn direct palomar (crq).) I was cleared to an altitude of 5000 MSL. At approximately XB10 PDT, eastbound on V186 at 5000 MSL, I experienced a complete electrical failure including loss of ATC radio contact. At this time I was in VMC on top of a well-defined haze layer (typical of los angeles-bur). I did have visual contact with the ground, however pilotage was difficult using other than major landmarks (mountains to the east, or an occasional freeway). My paramount concern was to stay VFR and clear of traffic while planning a landing at the most suitable location. A heading change was scheduled shortly ahead in connection with my original clearance (intercept V363). I decided to approximate this routing as closely as possible and I turned to a heading of 170 degree. I could see heavy jet traffic bound for lax on a profile descent which would cross in front of me from left to right as I flew a 170 degree heading. After consulting the VFR lax TCA chart, I descended to 3500' MSL so as to be below the TCA floor as I traversed its eastern boundary on my 170 degree heading. My attention now turned to light aircraft traffic avoidance as I considered the best course of action for landing. What became evident to me was that it would be unsafe to attempt a landing under the current conditions of WX, no radio, no navigation lights or anti-collision beacon lights on board at a busy los angeles area airport such as fullerton or los alamitos or santa ana. My familiarity with any of these fields was less than adequate under the circumstances. I decided to maintain my heading to the shoreline, and then continue further south, off shore to remain clear of the el toro MCAS arsa and the busy departure corridor of santa ana airport. Once able to parallel the shoreline off shore, a descent to 2000 MSL would be feasible, and given the forecast WX conditions I fully expected to reach a more familiar aerodrome environment in VMC and land. As I progressed along with this plan the WX conditions did in fact improve and I elected to continue the flight along the coast to ocn VORTAC. Just inland from the VOR lays the uncontrolled field of oceanside municipal with which I was very familiar. Since originally filed to crq (palomar field) which also has a control tower and typically more afternoon traffic, I elected to land at oceanside which utilizes only a unicom (123.0). After landing I telephoned san diego approach control and also telephoned burbank approach control to explain the events of my flight. The burbank ATC chief wanted to know why I did not land any sooner than oceanside. I explained the variety of events on board my aircraft and my concerns over traffic avoidance, in addition to the hazy visibility. In this situation I firmly believe that my concerns were prudent ones of safety, familiarity, airspace encroachments, etc. I have no doubt as to the safe outcome of my flight when operated within these above mentioned parameters.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON IFR FLT FROM WHT TO CRQ.

Narrative: IFR FROM WHT TO CRQ 5000 MSL. DEP WX: 3-4 MI VISIBILITY IN HAZE (TOPS OF HAZE LAYER 3500). FORECAST AT DEST: 11 SCATTERED 24 BROKEN 10 MI VISIBILITY. SHORTLY BEFORE XA00 PDT, I WAS RELEASED UNDER IFR WITH VECTORS TO JOIN V-186. (THE CLRNC ROUTING WAS V186 TO V363 TO V23 OCN DIRECT PALOMAR (CRQ).) I WAS CLRED TO AN ALT OF 5000 MSL. AT APPROX XB10 PDT, EBND ON V186 AT 5000 MSL, I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE INCLUDING LOSS OF ATC RADIO CONTACT. AT THIS TIME I WAS IN VMC ON TOP OF A WELL-DEFINED HAZE LAYER (TYPICAL OF LOS ANGELES-BUR). I DID HAVE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GND, HOWEVER PILOTAGE WAS DIFFICULT USING OTHER THAN MAJOR LANDMARKS (MOUNTAINS TO THE EAST, OR AN OCCASIONAL FREEWAY). MY PARAMOUNT CONCERN WAS TO STAY VFR AND CLEAR OF TFC WHILE PLANNING A LNDG AT THE MOST SUITABLE LOCATION. A HDG CHANGE WAS SCHEDULED SHORTLY AHEAD IN CONNECTION WITH MY ORIGINAL CLRNC (INTERCEPT V363). I DECIDED TO APPROXIMATE THIS ROUTING AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE AND I TURNED TO A HDG OF 170 DEG. I COULD SEE HEAVY JET TFC BOUND FOR LAX ON A PROFILE DSCNT WHICH WOULD CROSS IN FRONT OF ME FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AS I FLEW A 170 DEG HDG. AFTER CONSULTING THE VFR LAX TCA CHART, I DESCENDED TO 3500' MSL SO AS TO BE BELOW THE TCA FLOOR AS I TRAVERSED ITS EASTERN BOUNDARY ON MY 170 DEG HDG. MY ATTN NOW TURNED TO LIGHT ACFT TFC AVOIDANCE AS I CONSIDERED THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR LNDG. WHAT BECAME EVIDENT TO ME WAS THAT IT WOULD BE UNSAFE TO ATTEMPT A LNDG UNDER THE CURRENT CONDITIONS OF WX, NO RADIO, NO NAVIGATION LIGHTS OR ANTI-COLLISION BEACON LIGHTS ON BOARD AT A BUSY LOS ANGELES AREA ARPT SUCH AS FULLERTON OR LOS ALAMITOS OR SANTA ANA. MY FAMILIARITY WITH ANY OF THESE FIELDS WAS LESS THAN ADEQUATE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I DECIDED TO MAINTAIN MY HDG TO THE SHORELINE, AND THEN CONTINUE FURTHER SOUTH, OFF SHORE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THE EL TORO MCAS ARSA AND THE BUSY DEP CORRIDOR OF SANTA ANA ARPT. ONCE ABLE TO PARALLEL THE SHORELINE OFF SHORE, A DSCNT TO 2000 MSL WOULD BE FEASIBLE, AND GIVEN THE FORECAST WX CONDITIONS I FULLY EXPECTED TO REACH A MORE FAMILIAR AERODROME ENVIRONMENT IN VMC AND LAND. AS I PROGRESSED ALONG WITH THIS PLAN THE WX CONDITIONS DID IN FACT IMPROVE AND I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT ALONG THE COAST TO OCN VORTAC. JUST INLAND FROM THE VOR LAYS THE UNCONTROLLED FIELD OF OCEANSIDE MUNI WITH WHICH I WAS VERY FAMILIAR. SINCE ORIGINALLY FILED TO CRQ (PALOMAR FIELD) WHICH ALSO HAS A CTL TWR AND TYPICALLY MORE AFTERNOON TFC, I ELECTED TO LAND AT OCEANSIDE WHICH UTILIZES ONLY A UNICOM (123.0). AFTER LNDG I TELEPHONED SAN DIEGO APCH CTL AND ALSO TELEPHONED BURBANK APCH CTL TO EXPLAIN THE EVENTS OF MY FLT. THE BURBANK ATC CHIEF WANTED TO KNOW WHY I DID NOT LAND ANY SOONER THAN OCEANSIDE. I EXPLAINED THE VARIETY OF EVENTS ON BOARD MY ACFT AND MY CONCERNS OVER TFC AVOIDANCE, IN ADDITION TO THE HAZY VISIBILITY. IN THIS SITUATION I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT MY CONCERNS WERE PRUDENT ONES OF SAFETY, FAMILIARITY, AIRSPACE ENCROACHMENTS, ETC. I HAVE NO DOUBT AS TO THE SAFE OUTCOME OF MY FLT WHEN OPERATED WITHIN THESE ABOVE MENTIONED PARAMETERS.

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.