Narrative:

I departed dal approximately XA00 pm local on an IFR flight plan to elp in an small aircraft aircraft. My route was direct V-18 millsap VOR v- 16 elp. I was cleared as filed. Estimated time en route was approximately 4 hours. After about 3 hours, I noticed the electrical system discharging. Approaching elp, I could see thunderstorms ahead of me. I received frequency change approval from ZFW to contact FSS for updated WX. Thunderstorms were reported in and around the el paso area, to the south and east. Then, after returning to center frequency, approximately 30 NM west of ink VOR, my electrical system failed completely. I tried to reset the system by alternately turning off then back on both the alternator and battery switches, but the system was lost. I squawked 7700 for 1 min then 7600 for 15 mins repeatedly, hoping center might pick up a transmission even though I knew the system was inoperative. Being a clear night, VFR, and very concerned about the thunderstorms in my path to elp, and with no radios to get current WX information at elp, I exercised my PIC authority, 91.3, and deviated from my flight plan north to roswell, NM. I chose roswell after solidifying my position with carlsbad and artesia, because of the size of the airport and length of the longest runway. It was close to X00 pm local, and I knew the control tower would be closed (operation hours Y00-Z00). After landing safely (I had to manually pump down my gear), I borrowed a radio from an air carrier airlines and called FSS, who contacted ZFW for me to let them know I had landed safely at row with a complete electrical system failure. I asked if center wanted me to telephone them with an explanation and FSS relayed that no, it was not necessary, that center was just glad to hear I was ok.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA ACFT ON IFR FLT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO A VFR ARPT.

Narrative: I DEPARTED DAL APPROX XA00 PM LCL ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO ELP IN AN SMA ACFT. MY RTE WAS DIRECT V-18 MILLSAP VOR V- 16 ELP. I WAS CLRED AS FILED. ESTIMATED TIME ENRTE WAS APPROX 4 HRS. AFTER ABOUT 3 HRS, I NOTICED THE ELECTRICAL SYS DISCHARGING. APCHING ELP, I COULD SEE TSTMS AHEAD OF ME. I RECEIVED FREQ CHANGE APPROVAL FROM ZFW TO CONTACT FSS FOR UPDATED WX. TSTMS WERE RPTED IN AND AROUND THE EL PASO AREA, TO THE S AND E. THEN, AFTER RETURNING TO CTR FREQ, APPROX 30 NM W OF INK VOR, MY ELECTRICAL SYS FAILED COMPLETELY. I TRIED TO RESET THE SYS BY ALTERNATELY TURNING OFF THEN BACK ON BOTH THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY SWITCHES, BUT THE SYS WAS LOST. I SQUAWKED 7700 FOR 1 MIN THEN 7600 FOR 15 MINS REPEATEDLY, HOPING CTR MIGHT PICK UP A XMISSION EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THE SYS WAS INOP. BEING A CLR NIGHT, VFR, AND VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TSTMS IN MY PATH TO ELP, AND WITH NO RADIOS TO GET CURRENT WX INFO AT ELP, I EXERCISED MY PIC AUTHORITY, 91.3, AND DEVIATED FROM MY FLT PLAN N TO ROSWELL, NM. I CHOSE ROSWELL AFTER SOLIDIFYING MY POS WITH CARLSBAD AND ARTESIA, BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE ARPT AND LENGTH OF THE LONGEST RWY. IT WAS CLOSE TO X00 PM LCL, AND I KNEW THE CTL TWR WOULD BE CLOSED (OP HRS Y00-Z00). AFTER LNDG SAFELY (I HAD TO MANUALLY PUMP DOWN MY GEAR), I BORROWED A RADIO FROM AN ACR AIRLINES AND CALLED FSS, WHO CONTACTED ZFW FOR ME TO LET THEM KNOW I HAD LANDED SAFELY AT ROW WITH A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL SYS FAILURE. I ASKED IF CTR WANTED ME TO TELEPHONE THEM WITH AN EXPLANATION AND FSS RELAYED THAT NO, IT WAS NOT NECESSARY, THAT CTR WAS JUST GLAD TO HEAR I WAS OK.

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.