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Pilot of small aircraft IMC experienced loss of electrical. Electrical was restored and pilot vectored to ILS at fnt for landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 128601 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198911 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : fnt |
| State Reference | MI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 6800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : fnt |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 1425 flight time type : 900 |
| ASRS Report | 128601 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I left flint on an IFR flight to alpena, mi. Flint approach told me to turn to a heading of 360 degree and continue my climb to 8000 direct alpena. At this point, my alternator indicator light went on, and my ammeter reading indicated a very quick loss in power. I suddenly realized I was losing electrical power so fast I would never be able to receive an ILS signal, so I told flint approach that I had an emergency situation and I would proceed to saginaw. After numerous attempts, the radio and electrical navigational aids came back on line. I then contacted flint approach who asked me to call saginaw approach. I was given a new squawk code. Saginaw identified me as being 16 mi southeast of saginaw which was approximately where I expected to be. We have had alternator trouble like this before. We have had it looked at 5 times. Maintenance has informed me that they thought the problem was in the regulator. I then talked to manufacturer of the aircraft who informed me that there has been a lot of trouble with that particular regulator with over 600 back orders to be filled and no relief in sight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: maintenance finally found the problem -- not the alternator. Problem was in the voltage regulator. Replaced regulator and aircraft is operating in fine style. No more electrical problems.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF SMA IMC EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ELECTRICAL. ELECTRICAL WAS RESTORED AND PLT VECTORED TO ILS AT FNT FOR LNDG.
Narrative: I LEFT FLINT ON AN IFR FLT TO ALPENA, MI. FLINT APCH TOLD ME TO TURN TO A HDG OF 360 DEG AND CONTINUE MY CLIMB TO 8000 DIRECT ALPENA. AT THIS POINT, MY ALTERNATOR INDICATOR LIGHT WENT ON, AND MY AMMETER READING INDICATED A VERY QUICK LOSS IN POWER. I SUDDENLY REALIZED I WAS LOSING ELECTRICAL POWER SO FAST I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO RECEIVE AN ILS SIGNAL, SO I TOLD FLINT APCH THAT I HAD AN EMER SITUATION AND I WOULD PROCEED TO SAGINAW. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, THE RADIO AND ELECTRICAL NAVIGATIONAL AIDS CAME BACK ON LINE. I THEN CONTACTED FLINT APCH WHO ASKED ME TO CALL SAGINAW APCH. I WAS GIVEN A NEW SQUAWK CODE. SAGINAW IDENTIFIED ME AS BEING 16 MI SE OF SAGINAW WHICH WAS APPROX WHERE I EXPECTED TO BE. WE HAVE HAD ALTERNATOR TROUBLE LIKE THIS BEFORE. WE HAVE HAD IT LOOKED AT 5 TIMES. MAINT HAS INFORMED ME THAT THEY THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE REGULATOR. I THEN TALKED TO MANUFACTURER OF THE ACFT WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THAT PARTICULAR REGULATOR WITH OVER 600 BACK ORDERS TO BE FILLED AND NO RELIEF IN SIGHT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: MAINT FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM -- NOT THE ALTERNATOR. PROBLEM WAS IN THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. REPLACED REGULATOR AND ACFT IS OPERATING IN FINE STYLE. NO MORE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.
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.