Narrative:

I departed van nuys for what was to be a routine round robin to santa barbara. About 10 mi east of camarillo, I noticed radio communications were garbled, at best, on both radios. I suspected a lack of power. I looked at the ammeter, which was hardly deflected, and began to suspect alternator failure. I turned on everything in the cockpit to load the alternator and see if I could get a proper indication on the ammeter. After checking all breakers and switches, I determined my battery was dead and alternator had failed. I shut off all system, except for transponder, which was squawking 7600. I looked at my options: 1) continue to santa barbara through the arsa and land, 2) land at santa paula (uncontrolled), 3) turn back to the high density airspace at van nuys and land, or, 4) land at camarillo. I decided the safest option was to land at camarillo. I circled down from 4500 ft, about 3 mi north, abeam the tower, to look for the green signal. Unfortunately, at this time the sun was right on the horizon and I could hardly see anything but glare off the tower. Upon receiving what I thought was a steady green light, I entered the pattern at a 45 degree angle and extended my downwind to allow the planes in front of me to land. I landed without incident and after getting the flashing green light, taxied to parking. I was questioned and released. After coordinating with camarillo and van nuys towers for no radio/transponder/electrical departure on arrival, I got the plane jump started and departed camarillo without incident. I had coordinated with van nuys for an XX20 pm (PST) arrival which I would have no trouble making. I entered the air traffic area on schedule and entered the pattern as previously planned. As I was downwind I was constantly on the lookout for the light signals from the tower but never received any. It was already dark at this time so I could easily see the planes that were lined up on the ILS runway 16R for landing. I extended downwind until the last plane had passed and then turned in for the approach. The landing was uneventful and as far as I can tell, there were no planes that had to go around or deviate because of my actions. In looking back on this ordeal, I think I probably should have waited for a signal from van nuys tower before I landed but even though they were expecting me, I don't think they saw me due to the fact it was dark and I had no lights. The complete darkness, I think is what made me decide to go ahead and land and I never lost sight of the need for safety concerning myself and the others involved in the situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ELECTRICAL FAILURE, FLIES AT NIGHT WITH NO LIGHTS.

Narrative: I DEPARTED VAN NUYS FOR WHAT WAS TO BE A ROUTINE ROUND ROBIN TO SANTA BARBARA. ABOUT 10 MI E OF CAMARILLO, I NOTICED RADIO COMS WERE GARBLED, AT BEST, ON BOTH RADIOS. I SUSPECTED A LACK OF PWR. I LOOKED AT THE AMMETER, WHICH WAS HARDLY DEFLECTED, AND BEGAN TO SUSPECT ALTERNATOR FAILURE. I TURNED ON EVERYTHING IN THE COCKPIT TO LOAD THE ALTERNATOR AND SEE IF I COULD GET A PROPER INDICATION ON THE AMMETER. AFTER CHKING ALL BREAKERS AND SWITCHES, I DETERMINED MY BATTERY WAS DEAD AND ALTERNATOR HAD FAILED. I SHUT OFF ALL SYS, EXCEPT FOR XPONDER, WHICH WAS SQUAWKING 7600. I LOOKED AT MY OPTIONS: 1) CONTINUE TO SANTA BARBARA THROUGH THE ARSA AND LAND, 2) LAND AT SANTA PAULA (UNCTLED), 3) TURN BACK TO THE HIGH DENSITY AIRSPACE AT VAN NUYS AND LAND, OR, 4) LAND AT CAMARILLO. I DECIDED THE SAFEST OPTION WAS TO LAND AT CAMARILLO. I CIRCLED DOWN FROM 4500 FT, ABOUT 3 MI N, ABEAM THE TWR, TO LOOK FOR THE GREEN SIGNAL. UNFORTUNATELY, AT THIS TIME THE SUN WAS RIGHT ON THE HORIZON AND I COULD HARDLY SEE ANYTHING BUT GLARE OFF THE TWR. UPON RECEIVING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A STEADY GREEN LIGHT, I ENTERED THE PATTERN AT A 45 DEG ANGLE AND EXTENDED MY DOWNWIND TO ALLOW THE PLANES IN FRONT OF ME TO LAND. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND AFTER GETTING THE FLASHING GREEN LIGHT, TAXIED TO PARKING. I WAS QUESTIONED AND RELEASED. AFTER COORDINATING WITH CAMARILLO AND VAN NUYS TWRS FOR NO RADIO/XPONDER/ELECTRICAL DEP ON ARR, I GOT THE PLANE JUMP STARTED AND DEPARTED CAMARILLO WITHOUT INCIDENT. I HAD COORDINATED WITH VAN NUYS FOR AN XX20 PM (PST) ARR WHICH I WOULD HAVE NO TROUBLE MAKING. I ENTERED THE ATA ON SCHEDULE AND ENTERED THE PATTERN AS PREVIOUSLY PLANNED. AS I WAS DOWNWIND I WAS CONSTANTLY ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE LIGHT SIGNALS FROM THE TWR BUT NEVER RECEIVED ANY. IT WAS ALREADY DARK AT THIS TIME SO I COULD EASILY SEE THE PLANES THAT WERE LINED UP ON THE ILS RWY 16R FOR LNDG. I EXTENDED DOWNWIND UNTIL THE LAST PLANE HAD PASSED AND THEN TURNED IN FOR THE APCH. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THERE WERE NO PLANES THAT HAD TO GAR OR DEVIATE BECAUSE OF MY ACTIONS. IN LOOKING BACK ON THIS ORDEAL, I THINK I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR A SIGNAL FROM VAN NUYS TWR BEFORE I LANDED BUT EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE EXPECTING ME, I DON'T THINK THEY SAW ME DUE TO THE FACT IT WAS DARK AND I HAD NO LIGHTS. THE COMPLETE DARKNESS, I THINK IS WHAT MADE ME DECIDE TO GO AHEAD AND LAND AND I NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THE NEED FOR SAFETY CONCERNING MYSELF AND THE OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION.

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.