Small aircraft pilot in a night operation loses alternator. Coordination with FSS who in turn coordi...

Attributes
ACN	215834
Time
Date	199207
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : laf
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : laf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 260 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	215834
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was en route from muncie to lafayette about 10-15 mins from muncie when I discovered the alternator light was on. I went to the operating manual and did the alternator failure checklist. I then informed muncie tower to contact lafayette in case I lost my radios. My choice was to either spend 15 mins going back to muncie to an unfamiliar airport or to lafayette 20 mins away and where I have always flown out of. I contacted FSS (terre haute) and told them what I was doing, then chose to reduce the load even more by turning off my radios, but leaving my navigation and anti-collision lights on. 10 mis from lafayette, I turned on my radios, but they were inoperative. I squawked 7600 and shut off all lights. I was then able to contact FSS again. I was cleared into lafayette. They left the tower in operation because of pilot controled lighting -- in case I lost my radios again. Grissom air force base was informed and ZID by FSS. I was able to contact lafayette tower and land safely. The mechanic said the alternator belt broke. The only thing I can say to pilots is always go by the manual. It said in the emergency checklist to land as soon as practical, I did. I felt letting FSS know was important and was the correct decision. The belt broke but was fine when I preflted the plane and on runups, so realize that even when preflted correctly, things can still go wrong.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT IN A NIGHT OP LOSES ALTERNATOR. COORD WITH FSS WHO IN TURN COORD WITH DEST ARPT TWR REF PROBLEM OF LOST COM PROC AND PLT CTLED RWY LIGHTING. TWR REMAINS OPEN.

Narrative: I WAS ENRTE FROM MUNCIE TO LAFAYETTE ABOUT 10-15 MINS FROM MUNCIE WHEN I DISCOVERED THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT WAS ON. I WENT TO THE OPERATING MANUAL AND DID THE ALTERNATOR FAILURE CHKLIST. I THEN INFORMED MUNCIE TWR TO CONTACT LAFAYETTE IN CASE I LOST MY RADIOS. MY CHOICE WAS TO EITHER SPEND 15 MINS GOING BACK TO MUNCIE TO AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT OR TO LAFAYETTE 20 MINS AWAY AND WHERE I HAVE ALWAYS FLOWN OUT OF. I CONTACTED FSS (TERRE HAUTE) AND TOLD THEM WHAT I WAS DOING, THEN CHOSE TO REDUCE THE LOAD EVEN MORE BY TURNING OFF MY RADIOS, BUT LEAVING MY NAV AND ANTI-COLLISION LIGHTS ON. 10 MIS FROM LAFAYETTE, I TURNED ON MY RADIOS, BUT THEY WERE INOP. I SQUAWKED 7600 AND SHUT OFF ALL LIGHTS. I WAS THEN ABLE TO CONTACT FSS AGAIN. I WAS CLRED INTO LAFAYETTE. THEY LEFT THE TWR IN OP BECAUSE OF PLT CTLED LIGHTING -- IN CASE I LOST MY RADIOS AGAIN. GRISSOM AIR FORCE BASE WAS INFORMED AND ZID BY FSS. I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT LAFAYETTE TWR AND LAND SAFELY. THE MECH SAID THE ALTERNATOR BELT BROKE. THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY TO PLTS IS ALWAYS GO BY THE MANUAL. IT SAID IN THE EMER CHKLIST TO LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL, I DID. I FELT LETTING FSS KNOW WAS IMPORTANT AND WAS THE CORRECT DECISION. THE BELT BROKE BUT WAS FINE WHEN I PREFLTED THE PLANE AND ON RUNUPS, SO REALIZE THAT EVEN WHEN PREFLTED CORRECTLY, THINGS CAN STILL GO WRONG.

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 in a night operation loses alternator. Coordination with FSS who in turn coordination with destination airport tower reference problem of lost communication procedure and pilot controled runway lighting. Tower remains open.