Narrative:

After departing frg, the small aircraft I was flying experience an electrical failure. At first only the communications failed, which I noticed when trying to tell frg tower that I cleared their area to the southwest. At this point, I decided to stay at 1200' MSL and head on course to new jersey, since the heading and altitude would keep me below the new york TCA and away from any other air traffic congestion. I tried to determine what was causing the communication problem, once I felt assured that I was out of the way of another air traffic. The ammeter showed a charge and the fuel gauges were indicating full tanks. I tried the circuit breaker's, but they were all in their proper positions. I tried turning the radios on/off, but still no response. Shortly thereafter, I noticed that the ammeter was reading 0. I tried cycling the master switch, but that did not reset the ammeter. By this time I was over the new jersey coast line, and out from the ny TCA. I decided to continue the flight home to 19N, since the aircraft was not showing any signs of engine problems and I knew that I could get the necessary repairs done at the home airport. My concern is with the 30 mi mode C rules, since information is vague on the procedures if mode C goes out when not in radio contact and not in the physical TCA. I hope later editions of the aim will have better clarifications on lost mode C procedures.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT EXPERIENCES COM FAILURE AFTER DEP FROM ARPT BENEATH TCA. TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE OCCURS AS FLT CONTINUES. MODE C NOT FUNCTIONING WITHIN 30 NM OF TCA.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING FRG, THE SMA I WAS FLYING EXPERIENCE AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. AT FIRST ONLY THE COMS FAILED, WHICH I NOTICED WHEN TRYING TO TELL FRG TWR THAT I CLRED THEIR AREA TO THE SW. AT THIS POINT, I DECIDED TO STAY AT 1200' MSL AND HEAD ON COURSE TO NEW JERSEY, SINCE THE HDG AND ALT WOULD KEEP ME BELOW THE NEW YORK TCA AND AWAY FROM ANY OTHER AIR TFC CONGESTION. I TRIED TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE COM PROB, ONCE I FELT ASSURED THAT I WAS OUT OF THE WAY OF ANOTHER AIR TFC. THE AMMETER SHOWED A CHARGE AND THE FUEL GAUGES WERE INDICATING FULL TANKS. I TRIED THE CB'S, BUT THEY WERE ALL IN THEIR PROPER POSITIONS. I TRIED TURNING THE RADIOS ON/OFF, BUT STILL NO RESPONSE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I NOTICED THAT THE AMMETER WAS READING 0. I TRIED CYCLING THE MASTER SWITCH, BUT THAT DID NOT RESET THE AMMETER. BY THIS TIME I WAS OVER THE NEW JERSEY COAST LINE, AND OUT FROM THE NY TCA. I DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FLT HOME TO 19N, SINCE THE ACFT WAS NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF ENG PROBS AND I KNEW THAT I COULD GET THE NECESSARY REPAIRS DONE AT THE HOME ARPT. MY CONCERN IS WITH THE 30 MI MODE C RULES, SINCE INFO IS VAGUE ON THE PROCS IF MODE C GOES OUT WHEN NOT IN RADIO CONTACT AND NOT IN THE PHYSICAL TCA. I HOPE LATER EDITIONS OF THE AIM WILL HAVE BETTER CLARIFICATIONS ON LOST MODE C PROCS.

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.