Narrative:

About 6 mins after departure, the alternator light came on indicating a problem. This was followed by a 0 reading on the amp meter. I queried departure as to whether they knew if the FBO had a mechanic on duty, and I told them I believed it had an alternator problem. Departure gave me the unicom frequency (all this time I was still climbing to my assigned altitude). I tried to reach unicom while troubleshooting the alternator problem. The frequency was busy, and by this time, my first attempt to reset the alternator failed. I returned to approach, told them I was still working on the alternator problem. They asked me what my altitude was, and I responded 8000'. They told me my assigned altitude was 7000', and I'd better get back down there. I had just flown into peoria and inbound I was assigned 8000'. It was night, I was alone, and while dealing with the emergency situation, I went through my altitude. When asked by approach, I thought 8000' was my assigned altitude, since I couldn't readily see my copied clearance in the dark and was distracted while dealing with my problem. I deviated from my assigned altitude. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter apparently followed proper procedure to reactivate the (alternator?), although she said that post-flight inspection revealed that oil was leaking onto the armature and fouling the brushes--so must have been the gen she is confusing with an alternator. Oil was apparently causing the gen to alternately perform and cut out. Flight proceeded to pwa, reporter's destination, with enough electrical supply to communicate and navigation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA DEPARTING PIA AT NIGHT HAD ALTERNATOR FAILURE. OVERSHOT ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: ABOUT 6 MINS AFTER DEP, THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING A PROB. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A 0 READING ON THE AMP METER. I QUERIED DEP AS TO WHETHER THEY KNEW IF THE FBO HAD A MECH ON DUTY, AND I TOLD THEM I BELIEVED IT HAD AN ALTERNATOR PROB. DEP GAVE ME THE UNICOM FREQ (ALL THIS TIME I WAS STILL CLBING TO MY ASSIGNED ALT). I TRIED TO REACH UNICOM WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THE ALTERNATOR PROB. THE FREQ WAS BUSY, AND BY THIS TIME, MY FIRST ATTEMPT TO RESET THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. I RETURNED TO APCH, TOLD THEM I WAS STILL WORKING ON THE ALTERNATOR PROB. THEY ASKED ME WHAT MY ALT WAS, AND I RESPONDED 8000'. THEY TOLD ME MY ASSIGNED ALT WAS 7000', AND I'D BETTER GET BACK DOWN THERE. I HAD JUST FLOWN INTO PEORIA AND INBND I WAS ASSIGNED 8000'. IT WAS NIGHT, I WAS ALONE, AND WHILE DEALING WITH THE EMER SITUATION, I WENT THROUGH MY ALT. WHEN ASKED BY APCH, I THOUGHT 8000' WAS MY ASSIGNED ALT, SINCE I COULDN'T READILY SEE MY COPIED CLRNC IN THE DARK AND WAS DISTRACTED WHILE DEALING WITH MY PROB. I DEVIATED FROM MY ASSIGNED ALT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR APPARENTLY FOLLOWED PROPER PROC TO REACTIVATE THE (ALTERNATOR?), ALTHOUGH SHE SAID THAT POST-FLT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT OIL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE ARMATURE AND FOULING THE BRUSHES--SO MUST HAVE BEEN THE GEN SHE IS CONFUSING WITH AN ALTERNATOR. OIL WAS APPARENTLY CAUSING THE GEN TO ALTERNATELY PERFORM AND CUT OUT. FLT PROCEEDED TO PWA, RPTR'S DEST, WITH ENOUGH ELECTRICAL SUPPLY TO COMMUNICATE AND NAV.

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.