Small aircraft pilot experiences aircraft electrical problems and unauthorized penetration of the st...

Attributes
ACN	213326
Time
Date	199206
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	213326
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

On a flight VFR between fairfield, ia, and st louis and return with one passenger down and the same passenger plus one on the return I experienced intermittent alternator indications. After checking WX, filing IFR and preflting aircraft I attempted to start aircraft but after 3/4 revolutions the battery went dead. I assumed that the air conditioner and fan had been left on, perhaps on a night ferry flight when aircraft was being secured in the hangar. The aircraft was towed to maintenance hangar with mechanics inspecting it and suggesting a battery charge. The battery was charged, the aircraft started and taxied to runway. Before runup I noticed an alternator '0' indication. I called maintenance/ramp manager and they informed me that previous indicator problems had occurred and that the problem wasn't with output. Based upon previous knowledge of the indicator, what ramp people told me, clear VFR conditions I continued the flight under IFR with no incidents. The alternator indication came up to normal before takeoff during runup. On let down to st louis ATC mentioned that my radios seemed weak and at that time I noticed that alternator was indicating '0.' I stated to ATC that I might be having alternator problems and that I would check it out on the ground. Landing was made without incident and radio contact always available. On landing I consulted with a ramp person who I thought was an a and P. We looked over alternator, placed a charge on the battery, and started the airplane with alternator coming on line. I departed st louis, VFR, with full radio contact and completed the flight without incident. All system in the aircraft were operational. Landing in fairfield, the head mechanic looked at aircraft and found a worn, frayed power line from alternator that was arcing intermittently, causing the actual alternator problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. The reporter called as he is being investigated by the FAA for a TCA violation, a fact conveniently left unmentioned in his narrative.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT EXPERIENCES ACFT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND UNAUTHORIZED PENETRATION OF THE STL TCA. THE FIRST PROBLEM IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR THE OTHER.

Narrative: ON A FLT VFR BTWN FAIRFIELD, IA, AND ST LOUIS AND RETURN WITH ONE PAX DOWN AND THE SAME PAX PLUS ONE ON THE RETURN I EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT ALTERNATOR INDICATIONS. AFTER CHKING WX, FILING IFR AND PREFLTING ACFT I ATTEMPTED TO START ACFT BUT AFTER 3/4 REVOLUTIONS THE BATTERY WENT DEAD. I ASSUMED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER AND FAN HAD BEEN LEFT ON, PERHAPS ON A NIGHT FERRY FLT WHEN ACFT WAS BEING SECURED IN THE HANGAR. THE ACFT WAS TOWED TO MAINT HANGAR WITH MECHS INSPECTING IT AND SUGGESTING A BATTERY CHARGE. THE BATTERY WAS CHARGED, THE ACFT STARTED AND TAXIED TO RWY. BEFORE RUNUP I NOTICED AN ALTERNATOR '0' INDICATION. I CALLED MAINT/RAMP MGR AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT PREVIOUS INDICATOR PROBLEMS HAD OCCURRED AND THAT THE PROBLEM WASN'T WITH OUTPUT. BASED UPON PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDICATOR, WHAT RAMP PEOPLE TOLD ME, CLR VFR CONDITIONS I CONTINUED THE FLT UNDER IFR WITH NO INCIDENTS. THE ALTERNATOR INDICATION CAME UP TO NORMAL BEFORE TKOF DURING RUNUP. ON LET DOWN TO ST LOUIS ATC MENTIONED THAT MY RADIOS SEEMED WEAK AND AT THAT TIME I NOTICED THAT ALTERNATOR WAS INDICATING '0.' I STATED TO ATC THAT I MIGHT BE HAVING ALTERNATOR PROBLEMS AND THAT I WOULD CHK IT OUT ON THE GND. LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT AND RADIO CONTACT ALWAYS AVAILABLE. ON LNDG I CONSULTED WITH A RAMP PERSON WHO I THOUGHT WAS AN A AND P. WE LOOKED OVER ALTERNATOR, PLACED A CHARGE ON THE BATTERY, AND STARTED THE AIRPLANE WITH ALTERNATOR COMING ON LINE. I DEPARTED ST LOUIS, VFR, WITH FULL RADIO CONTACT AND COMPLETED THE FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT. ALL SYS IN THE ACFT WERE OPERATIONAL. LNDG IN FAIRFIELD, THE HEAD MECH LOOKED AT ACFT AND FOUND A WORN, FRAYED PWR LINE FROM ALTERNATOR THAT WAS ARCING INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING THE ACTUAL ALTERNATOR PROBLEM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. THE RPTR CALLED AS HE IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE FAA FOR A TCA VIOLATION, A FACT CONVENIENTLY LEFT UNMENTIONED IN HIS NARRATIVE.

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.

Small aircraft pilot experiences aircraft electrical problems and unauthorized penetration of the stl TCA. The first problem is not an excuse for the other.