Small aircraft loss of electrical power lands at destination with help from controller.

Attributes
ACN	184851
Time
Date	199107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rod airport : m6y
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : day
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 42 flight time total : 482 flight time type : 296
ASRS Report	184851
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a night IFR flight in VMC conditions from tol to mgy, I began to notice the panel lights flicker. A short time later the alternator warning light came on and the panel lights dimmed. An attempt to reset the alternator was unsuccessful. I reduced the electrical load as much as possible. I had some difficulty raising dayton approach, but was able to inform them of the problem. They gave me course and altitude instructions to the airport in case we lost contact. It became apparent that at times they were hearing my transmissions, but I was not always hearing theirs. This resulted in some confusion and I may have accidently interfered with activity on the frequency I wasn't hearing. Due to a bit of preoccupation with the communications problem, I drifted slightly west of my assigned course and dayton vectored me back. When I sighted the airport, I cancelled IFR and landed. I wrote up the malfunction and informed the aircraft crew chief. While the situation was handled well for the most part, I did let myself become somewhat preoccupied with a fairly minor problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR LANDS AT DESTINATION WITH HELP FROM CTLR.

Narrative: DURING A NIGHT IFR FLT IN VMC CONDITIONS FROM TOL TO MGY, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE PANEL LIGHTS FLICKER. A SHORT TIME LATER THE ALTERNATOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE PANEL LIGHTS DIMMED. AN ATTEMPT TO RESET THE ALTERNATOR WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. I REDUCED THE ELECTRICAL LOAD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I HAD SOME DIFFICULTY RAISING DAYTON APCH, BUT WAS ABLE TO INFORM THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THEY GAVE ME COURSE AND ALT INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ARPT IN CASE WE LOST CONTACT. IT BECAME APPARENT THAT AT TIMES THEY WERE HEARING MY TRANSMISSIONS, BUT I WAS NOT ALWAYS HEARING THEIRS. THIS RESULTED IN SOME CONFUSION AND I MAY HAVE ACCIDENTLY INTERFERED WITH ACTIVITY ON THE FREQ I WASN'T HEARING. DUE TO A BIT OF PREOCCUPATION WITH THE COMS PROBLEM, I DRIFTED SLIGHTLY W OF MY ASSIGNED COURSE AND DAYTON VECTORED ME BACK. WHEN I SIGHTED THE ARPT, I CANCELLED IFR AND LANDED. I WROTE UP THE MALFUNCTION AND INFORMED THE ACFT CREW CHIEF. WHILE THE SITUATION WAS HANDLED WELL FOR THE MOST PART, I DID LET MYSELF BECOME SOMEWHAT PREOCCUPIED WITH A FAIRLY MINOR PROBLEM.

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.