Narrative:

Cfii and INS student (private pilot) arrived in the area of the destination airport and were issued radar vectors from approach control for a localizer approach to the destination airport. Approach controller advised us to expect a 15 min delay because a preceding aircraft had not notified approach that it was on the ground (control tower at destination was closed). We were issued holding instructions and when approach was asked to repeat the instructions for clarification, we got no response. Approach said, '...if you can hear me, turn left heading 310 degrees.' we tried to acknowledge the vector instruction with no response from approach, and then changed the transponder code to 7700 for 1 min, and then to 7600. During the turn to the indicated heading, the led display on the #1 VOR flickered for a moment, then went off altogether. The cockpit lighting began to dim and the cfii taped on the gen warning light and it came on. Assuming complete electrical failure, we turned back north and reversed direction every couple of mins to stay in the general direction of where we were. After a few mins, we assumed we were already past the airport and started to climb on a heading toward known VFR conditions. Visibility was 3-4 mi with fog and mist. Turned toward the destination airport 4 mi away, checked for traffic, entered the pattern and landed uneventfully. Called approach by phone to inform them we were down safely. Controller thanked us for calling. Cause: gen had gone out completely. Mechanic told the student that it had come apart internally.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIMARY ELECTRICAL SUPPLY PROBLEM CREATES A LOST COM PROC FOR CFI AND STUDENT ON IFR FLT.

Narrative: CFII AND INS STUDENT (PVT PLT) ARRIVED IN THE AREA OF THE DEST ARPT AND WERE ISSUED RADAR VECTORS FROM APCH CTL FOR A LOC APCH TO THE DEST ARPT. APCH CTLR ADVISED US TO EXPECT A 15 MIN DELAY BECAUSE A PRECEDING ACFT HAD NOT NOTIFIED APCH THAT IT WAS ON THE GND (CTL TWR AT DEST WAS CLOSED). WE WERE ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AND WHEN APCH WAS ASKED TO REPEAT THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION, WE GOT NO RESPONSE. APCH SAID, '...IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, TURN LEFT HDG 310 DEGS.' WE TRIED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VECTOR INSTRUCTION WITH NO RESPONSE FROM APCH, AND THEN CHANGED THE XPONDER CODE TO 7700 FOR 1 MIN, AND THEN TO 7600. DURING THE TURN TO THE INDICATED HDG, THE LED DISPLAY ON THE #1 VOR FLICKERED FOR A MOMENT, THEN WENT OFF ALTOGETHER. THE COCKPIT LIGHTING BEGAN TO DIM AND THE CFII TAPED ON THE GEN WARNING LIGHT AND IT CAME ON. ASSUMING COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE, WE TURNED BACK N AND REVERSED DIRECTION EVERY COUPLE OF MINS TO STAY IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF WHERE WE WERE. AFTER A FEW MINS, WE ASSUMED WE WERE ALREADY PAST THE ARPT AND STARTED TO CLB ON A HDG TOWARD KNOWN VFR CONDITIONS. VISIBILITY WAS 3-4 MI WITH FOG AND MIST. TURNED TOWARD THE DEST ARPT 4 MI AWAY, CHKED FOR TFC, ENTERED THE PATTERN AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. CALLED APCH BY PHONE TO INFORM THEM WE WERE DOWN SAFELY. CTLR THANKED US FOR CALLING. CAUSE: GEN HAD GONE OUT COMPLETELY. MECH TOLD THE STUDENT THAT IT HAD COME APART INTERNALLY.

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.