Small aircraft on IFR flight plan has battery discharge. Turns to land nearest airport.

Attributes
ACN	210081
Time
Date	199205
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ocf
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 90 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zjx
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 130 flight time total : 1900 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	210081
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was level at 10000 ft when I noticed the battery was discharging. I proceeded to advise center when I didn't have enough power to transmit or power the transponder. I immediately turned to the fl coast and started my descent to ocala, fl. I was able to fly VFR to ocala and found it because I'm very familiar with the area. We landed and called ZJX and told them the problem and we were ok. We checked the system and couldn't find the cause. We tried the auxiliary voltage regulator and the system worked great. I then took off again when I smelled something that could have been an electrical fire. I cancelled my IFR flight plan and proceeded VFR back to ocala for a safe landing. They checked the entire electrical system and nothing was burnt. They said that the smell came from corrosion on the auxiliary system and wasn't dangerous at all. However, I felt better having it checked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON IFR FLT PLAN HAS BATTERY DISCHARGE. TURNS TO LAND NEAREST ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS LEVEL AT 10000 FT WHEN I NOTICED THE BATTERY WAS DISCHARGING. I PROCEEDED TO ADVISE CTR WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PWR TO XMIT OR PWR THE TRANSPONDER. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO THE FL COAST AND STARTED MY DSCNT TO OCALA, FL. I WAS ABLE TO FLY VFR TO OCALA AND FOUND IT BECAUSE I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. WE LANDED AND CALLED ZJX AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM AND WE WERE OK. WE CHKED THE SYS AND COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE. WE TRIED THE AUX VOLTAGE REGULATOR AND THE SYS WORKED GREAT. I THEN TOOK OFF AGAIN WHEN I SMELLED SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I CANCELLED MY IFR FLT PLAN AND PROCEEDED VFR BACK TO OCALA FOR A SAFE LNDG. THEY CHKED THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYS AND NOTHING WAS BURNT. THEY SAID THAT THE SMELL CAME FROM CORROSION ON THE AUX SYS AND WASN'T DANGEROUS AT ALL. HOWEVER, I FELT BETTER HAVING IT CHKED.

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.