Narrative:

Failure of 2 communications and navigation radios and aircraft intercom during an IFR flight from appleton, wi, to pal-waukee airport, wheeling, il, resulted in a loss of communications. Right after losing the aircraft radios, the plane entered clouds and IFR conditions from VFR conditions. Shortly afterwards, a few mins, the plane entered VFR conditions and a decision was made to remain in VFR, continuing the flight under VFR, and to divert to the kenosha, wi, airport, 15 mi away. The airport was VFR and a landing was made at kenosha, wi. After landing the green bay, wi, FSS was notified of the plane's diversion and requested to close the IFR flight plan. About 40 mins later, an inspection was made of the airplane radios and they worked normally. The plane was restarted with a battery boost and the flight resumed VFR to pal- waukee, il. En route, about 18 mi north of pal-waukee, a radio call was made to the pal-waukee tower advising them of the plane's position, and landing intentions and possible loss of radio. The tower acknowledged the transmission and advised to expect a light signal for landing if radio communications were lost. 5 mi later, the plane's radios and electrical system failed leaving only a battery power global positioning navigation receiver operating. Arriving at the pal-waukee, il, airport, a circle was made of the traffic pattern and a green signal light was observed. However, during base to final approach, another light airplane was observed landing on the intended runway. A go around procedure was made and a circle of the pattern made followed by a landing. A post-flight inspection revealed that the alternator belt had ripped apart and had broken. The battery was recharged for 5 hours and a new alternator belt was installed. The plane was flown back to appleton.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT SHREDDED HIS ALTERNATOR DRIVE BELT CAUSING HIM TO LOSE RADIO CONTACT IN IMC.

Narrative: FAILURE OF 2 COMS AND NAV RADIOS AND ACFT INTERCOM DURING AN IFR FLT FROM APPLETON, WI, TO PAL-WAUKEE ARPT, WHEELING, IL, RESULTED IN A LOSS OF COMS. RIGHT AFTER LOSING THE ACFT RADIOS, THE PLANE ENTERED CLOUDS AND IFR CONDITIONS FROM VFR CONDITIONS. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, A FEW MINS, THE PLANE ENTERED VFR CONDITIONS AND A DECISION WAS MADE TO REMAIN IN VFR, CONTINUING THE FLT UNDER VFR, AND TO DIVERT TO THE KENOSHA, WI, ARPT, 15 MI AWAY. THE ARPT WAS VFR AND A LNDG WAS MADE AT KENOSHA, WI. AFTER LNDG THE GREEN BAY, WI, FSS WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PLANE'S DIVERSION AND REQUESTED TO CLOSE THE IFR FLT PLAN. ABOUT 40 MINS LATER, AN INSPECTION WAS MADE OF THE AIRPLANE RADIOS AND THEY WORKED NORMALLY. THE PLANE WAS RESTARTED WITH A BATTERY BOOST AND THE FLT RESUMED VFR TO PAL- WAUKEE, IL. ENRTE, ABOUT 18 MI N OF PAL-WAUKEE, A RADIO CALL WAS MADE TO THE PAL-WAUKEE TWR ADVISING THEM OF THE PLANE'S POS, AND LNDG INTENTIONS AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF RADIO. THE TWR ACKNOWLEDGED THE XMISSION AND ADVISED TO EXPECT A LIGHT SIGNAL FOR LNDG IF RADIO COMS WERE LOST. 5 MI LATER, THE PLANE'S RADIOS AND ELECTRICAL SYS FAILED LEAVING ONLY A BATTERY PWR GLOBAL POSITIONING NAV RECEIVER OPERATING. ARRIVING AT THE PAL-WAUKEE, IL, ARPT, A CIRCLE WAS MADE OF THE TFC PATTERN AND A GREEN SIGNAL LIGHT WAS OBSERVED. HOWEVER, DURING BASE TO FINAL APCH, ANOTHER LIGHT AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED LNDG ON THE INTENDED RWY. A GAR PROC WAS MADE AND A CIRCLE OF THE PATTERN MADE FOLLOWED BY A LNDG. A POST-FLT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE ALTERNATOR BELT HAD RIPPED APART AND HAD BROKEN. THE BATTERY WAS RECHARGED FOR 5 HRS AND A NEW ALTERNATOR BELT WAS INSTALLED. THE PLANE WAS FLOWN BACK TO APPLETON.

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.