Narrative:

The situation occurred en route from bhm to bfm. After mvc, I noticed that my alternator output dropped to 0. I tried to recycle the master switch after turning the radio master off. Then the master on again and the radio master on. The problem continued. I turned off all electrical equipment except for the transponder, 1 navigation and 1 communication and told ZTL what was happening. I also turned the alternator off. After communicating with ZTL I kept on with the flight since I still had both a navigation and a communication working, and was not told to discontinue the flight by center. I was in VMC on top and kept looking for a break in the clouds in case I lost communications. By the way, mvc is 62 NM from my destination. After a few mins, ZTL told me to contact bfm approach on 118.5. I tried at least a dozen times before I went back to ZTL on 127.65. No answer. I could hear both ZTL and bfm approach, but apparently they could not hear me. Finally I set my transponder to 7700 for 1 min, and then 7600, while I was looking for a hole in the clouds. I found one over daphne, al, about 9 NM from my destination. I descended down while I kept calling ZTL and bfm approach to cancel my IFR flight plan. They could not hear me, but another aircraft heard me weakly and tried to relay the request. They did not seem to get any positive response from ZTL, so I assumed I was still on an IFR flight plan. I got below the clouds and was about 9 NM from my destination, but made the decision to go to 4r4 and land. The reason for this was that 4r4 is an uncontrolled airport, while bfm is controled. I did not want to cause any dangerous sits. In addition to that, 4r4 is the aircraft's home base and they also have a maintenance facility there that could solve my problem. I observed the traffic in the traffic pattern at 4r4, entered it and landed with no problems. As soon as I got out of the aircraft I called bfm approach on the telephone and told them what happened, that I was on the ground at fairhope, and asked them to cancel my IFR flight plan. Their response was: we'll close you out. Hope you get the problem fixed. During the preflight I did not notice any problems with the alternator belt. I checked it as part of my preflight. I did whatever I could to comply with the FARS while I dealt with the situation. As far as I know I did not break any rules. I kept trying to contact ATC, while using my transponder as required for the situation.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR WHILE FLYING ON TOP OF AN OVCST.

Narrative: THE SIT OCCURRED ENRTE FROM BHM TO BFM. AFTER MVC, I NOTICED THAT MY ALTERNATOR OUTPUT DROPPED TO 0. I TRIED TO RECYCLE THE MASTER SWITCH AFTER TURNING THE RADIO MASTER OFF. THEN THE MASTER ON AGAIN AND THE RADIO MASTER ON. THE PROB CONTINUED. I TURNED OFF ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIP EXCEPT FOR THE XPONDER, 1 NAV AND 1 COM AND TOLD ZTL WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I ALSO TURNED THE ALTERNATOR OFF. AFTER COMMUNICATING WITH ZTL I KEPT ON WITH THE FLT SINCE I STILL HAD BOTH A NAV AND A COM WORKING, AND WAS NOT TOLD TO DISCONTINUE THE FLT BY CTR. I WAS IN VMC ON TOP AND KEPT LOOKING FOR A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS IN CASE I LOST COMS. BY THE WAY, MVC IS 62 NM FROM MY DEST. AFTER A FEW MINS, ZTL TOLD ME TO CONTACT BFM APCH ON 118.5. I TRIED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE I WENT BACK TO ZTL ON 127.65. NO ANSWER. I COULD HEAR BOTH ZTL AND BFM APCH, BUT APPARENTLY THEY COULD NOT HEAR ME. FINALLY I SET MY XPONDER TO 7700 FOR 1 MIN, AND THEN 7600, WHILE I WAS LOOKING FOR A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS. I FOUND ONE OVER DAPHNE, AL, ABOUT 9 NM FROM MY DEST. I DSNDED DOWN WHILE I KEPT CALLING ZTL AND BFM APCH TO CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN. THEY COULD NOT HEAR ME, BUT ANOTHER ACFT HEARD ME WEAKLY AND TRIED TO RELAY THE REQUEST. THEY DID NOT SEEM TO GET ANY POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM ZTL, SO I ASSUMED I WAS STILL ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I GOT BELOW THE CLOUDS AND WAS ABOUT 9 NM FROM MY DEST, BUT MADE THE DECISION TO GO TO 4R4 AND LAND. THE REASON FOR THIS WAS THAT 4R4 IS AN UNCTLED ARPT, WHILE BFM IS CTLED. I DID NOT WANT TO CAUSE ANY DANGEROUS SITS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, 4R4 IS THE ACFT'S HOME BASE AND THEY ALSO HAVE A MAINT FACILITY THERE THAT COULD SOLVE MY PROB. I OBSERVED THE TFC IN THE TFC PATTERN AT 4R4, ENTERED IT AND LANDED WITH NO PROBS. AS SOON AS I GOT OUT OF THE ACFT I CALLED BFM APCH ON THE TELEPHONE AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED, THAT I WAS ON THE GND AT FAIRHOPE, AND ASKED THEM TO CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN. THEIR RESPONSE WAS: WE'LL CLOSE YOU OUT. HOPE YOU GET THE PROB FIXED. DURING THE PREFLT I DID NOT NOTICE ANY PROBS WITH THE ALTERNATOR BELT. I CHKED IT AS PART OF MY PREFLT. I DID WHATEVER I COULD TO COMPLY WITH THE FARS WHILE I DEALT WITH THE SIT. AS FAR AS I KNOW I DID NOT BREAK ANY RULES. I KEPT TRYING TO CONTACT ATC, WHILE USING MY XPONDER AS REQUIRED FOR THE SIT.

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.