The pilot of a piper arrow reported the loss of all electrical power shortly after takeoff. While fl...

Attributes
ACN	1401670
Time
Date	201611
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28R Cherokee Arrow All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Electrical Power
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Private Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 14 Flight Crew Total 244 Flight Crew Type 244
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 400 Vertical 300

Narrative:

Prior to takeoff for night currency practice in the pattern; the airplane had a normal run-up and systems check. After takeoff; the interior lights dimmed at about 400 ft AGL and I realized that my alternator was going. The radio started to malfunction by the time I turned crosswind. By the time I turned from crosswind to the downwind for runway 18; I had a total electrical failure; no lights or radio. The tower had initially asked me to call out a midfield downwind for runway 18 on left traffic. I was not able to reach them after turning downwind. As I crossed the midfield point; I noticed an airplane coming toward me from the right side and below. He passed below and behind me by only several hundred feet. He was coming in for a midfield crosswind for right traffic on runway 18. I kept him in sight and extended my downwind to follow him in on final. After landing; I took the first available turn off and cleared the hold short line. I then called the tower on my cell phone to report what had happened. They asked if I needed assistance; I did not; so they cleared me to taxi back to my hangar. In hindsight; the only thing that I can think of that may have helped me would be to have a backup hand held radio in the cockpit in case of a radio failure; especially at night.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: The pilot of a Piper Arrow reported the loss of all electrical power shortly after takeoff. While flying the downwind leg with no lights or radios; a near mid-air collision was experienced.

Narrative: Prior to takeoff for night currency practice in the pattern; the airplane had a normal run-up and systems check. After takeoff; the interior lights dimmed at about 400 ft AGL and I realized that my alternator was going. The radio started to malfunction by the time I turned crosswind. By the time I turned from crosswind to the downwind for runway 18; I had a total electrical failure; no lights or radio. The tower had initially asked me to call out a midfield downwind for runway 18 on left traffic. I was not able to reach them after turning downwind. As I crossed the midfield point; I noticed an airplane coming toward me from the right side and below. He passed below and behind me by only several hundred feet. He was coming in for a midfield crosswind for right traffic on runway 18. I kept him in sight and extended my downwind to follow him in on final. After landing; I took the first available turn off and cleared the hold short line. I then called the tower on my cell phone to report what had happened. They asked if I needed assistance; I did not; so they cleared me to taxi back to my hangar. In hindsight; the only thing that I can think of that may have helped me would be to have a backup hand held radio in the cockpit in case of a radio failure; especially at night.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

The pilot of a piper arrow reported the loss of all electrical power shortly after takeoff. While flying the downwind leg with no lights or radios; a near mid-air collision was experienced.