GA small aircraft lost the alternator on a night cross-country flight. Pilot continued to destinatio...

Attributes
ACN	171357
Time
Date	199102
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ind
State Reference	IN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tracon : ind
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	171357
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We departed champaign, il airport. Everything on the preflight and runup were normal. It was a gorgeous night. I looked around a lot myself. When I checked the panel, I noticed that the lights on the panel appeared to be visibly dim. I checked my ability to transmit and got the 'T' on the digital radios. I checked the alternator gauge and I was no longer getting the needle pulsing I had noticed on the way over. I heard indianapolis call me to change my squawk, but by that time I could not transmit. I immediately shut everything unnecessary electrically off. We were equipped with a flashlight and a gorgeous moon to illuminate the panel. My husband took out the hand-held and dialed in day, which was our next large ATC facility. We were 6 mi south on the day VOR when we finally raised them. They gave us the next frequency for columbus and we continued on to our destination. We contacted columbus when we were overtop and continued on to 2i8. The gear went down and our landing lights was very weak. I called FSS on the ground by land-line to inform them we were on the ground.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA LOST THE ALTERNATOR ON A NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLT. PLT CONTINUED TO DESTINATION USING FLASHLIGHT AND HAND-HELD TRANSCEIVER.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED CHAMPAIGN, IL ARPT. EVERYTHING ON THE PREFLT AND RUNUP WERE NORMAL. IT WAS A GORGEOUS NIGHT. I LOOKED AROUND A LOT MYSELF. WHEN I CHKED THE PANEL, I NOTICED THAT THE LIGHTS ON THE PANEL APPEARED TO BE VISIBLY DIM. I CHKED MY ABILITY TO XMIT AND GOT THE 'T' ON THE DIGITAL RADIOS. I CHKED THE ALTERNATOR GAUGE AND I WAS NO LONGER GETTING THE NEEDLE PULSING I HAD NOTICED ON THE WAY OVER. I HEARD INDIANAPOLIS CALL ME TO CHANGE MY SQUAWK, BUT BY THAT TIME I COULD NOT XMIT. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT EVERYTHING UNNECESSARY ELECTRICALLY OFF. WE WERE EQUIPPED WITH A FLASHLIGHT AND A GORGEOUS MOON TO ILLUMINATE THE PANEL. MY HUSBAND TOOK OUT THE HAND-HELD AND DIALED IN DAY, WHICH WAS OUR NEXT LARGE ATC FAC. WE WERE 6 MI S ON THE DAY VOR WHEN WE FINALLY RAISED THEM. THEY GAVE US THE NEXT FREQ FOR COLUMBUS AND WE CONTINUED ON TO OUR DEST. WE CONTACTED COLUMBUS WHEN WE WERE OVERTOP AND CONTINUED ON TO 2I8. THE GEAR WENT DOWN AND OUR LNDG LIGHTS WAS VERY WEAK. I CALLED FSS ON THE GND BY LAND-LINE TO INFORM THEM WE WERE ON THE GND.

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.

GA small aircraft lost the alternator on a night cross-country flight. Pilot continued to destination using flashlight and hand-held transceiver.