Narrative:

Noticed INS lights dimming. Checked load meter. Noticed alternator at 0. Immediately switched off all non-essential electrical equipment, checked circuit breaker's in and cycled alternator switch--no change. Electrical failure imminent. I shut down electric system to conserve battery charge for communications. 5 NM prior to entering the republic air traffic area attempted to communicate with republic on guard 121.5 by energizing aircraft electrical system. No reply. At this point I lost the digital readout from my navigation/communication and corresponding audio. Decided to circle over the captree bridge VOR chkpoint 10 NM southeast of republic. Squawked 7700 for 1 min, then 7600. Attempted further communication with ATC on guard--still no reply. This procedure was utilized 3 times prior to entry into the air traffic area and 5 times thereafter. I flew standard right-hand pattern to runway 32 based on last known active runway and last reported winds. Flew runway centerline twice at tower altitude, rocking my wings and announcing my intentions on guard. On third attempt I made the decision to land based on sighting multiple aircraft that appeared to be inbound to republic. I landed west/O incident and taxied to parking with the assistance of crash rescue. Once down I decided to call tower on the phone out of courtesy. They informed me that they never saw me land, or make my low passes. They were however aware of my situation and were awaiting me, thanks to jfk TRACON who had picked up my squawk and intermittent communications and relayed the information to them. I followed VFR radio out procedure I/a/west far 91.129(B) as best as conditions allowed. However, I was confused as to what to do west/O landing lights or position lights to attract tower attention. I feel perhaps if the FARS or aim was more clear on this situation, it would help alleviate some anxiety on the flying public and improve flying safety for all.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOSES ELECTRICAL POWER AT NIGHT INCLUDING EFFECTIVE LOSS OF COM. CARRIES OUT LOST COM PROC AND LANDS NORAC AT CONTROLLED ARPT DESTINATION.

Narrative: NOTICED INS LIGHTS DIMMING. CHKED LOAD METER. NOTICED ALTERNATOR AT 0. IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED OFF ALL NON-ESSENTIAL ELECTRICAL EQUIP, CHKED CB'S IN AND CYCLED ALTERNATOR SWITCH--NO CHANGE. ELECTRICAL FAILURE IMMINENT. I SHUT DOWN ELECTRIC SYS TO CONSERVE BATTERY CHARGE FOR COMS. 5 NM PRIOR TO ENTERING THE REPUBLIC ATA ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH REPUBLIC ON GUARD 121.5 BY ENERGIZING ACFT ELECTRICAL SYS. NO REPLY. AT THIS POINT I LOST THE DIGITAL READOUT FROM MY NAV/COM AND CORRESPONDING AUDIO. DECIDED TO CIRCLE OVER THE CAPTREE BRIDGE VOR CHKPOINT 10 NM SE OF REPUBLIC. SQUAWKED 7700 FOR 1 MIN, THEN 7600. ATTEMPTED FURTHER COM WITH ATC ON GUARD--STILL NO REPLY. THIS PROC WAS UTILIZED 3 TIMES PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO THE ATA AND 5 TIMES THEREAFTER. I FLEW STANDARD RIGHT-HAND PATTERN TO RWY 32 BASED ON LAST KNOWN ACTIVE RWY AND LAST RPTED WINDS. FLEW RWY CENTERLINE TWICE AT TWR ALT, ROCKING MY WINGS AND ANNOUNCING MY INTENTIONS ON GUARD. ON THIRD ATTEMPT I MADE THE DECISION TO LAND BASED ON SIGHTING MULTIPLE ACFT THAT APPEARED TO BE INBND TO REPUBLIC. I LANDED W/O INCIDENT AND TAXIED TO PARKING WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF CRASH RESCUE. ONCE DOWN I DECIDED TO CALL TWR ON THE PHONE OUT OF COURTESY. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY NEVER SAW ME LAND, OR MAKE MY LOW PASSES. THEY WERE HOWEVER AWARE OF MY SITUATION AND WERE AWAITING ME, THANKS TO JFK TRACON WHO HAD PICKED UP MY SQUAWK AND INTERMITTENT COMS AND RELAYED THE INFO TO THEM. I FOLLOWED VFR RADIO OUT PROC I/A/W FAR 91.129(B) AS BEST AS CONDITIONS ALLOWED. HOWEVER, I WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHAT TO DO W/O LNDG LIGHTS OR POS LIGHTS TO ATTRACT TWR ATTN. I FEEL PERHAPS IF THE FARS OR AIM WAS MORE CLEAR ON THIS SITUATION, IT WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE SOME ANXIETY ON THE FLYING PUBLIC AND IMPROVE FLYING SAFETY FOR ALL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.