Small aircraft has complete electrical failure while in the lan arsa.

Attributes
ACN	241454
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lan airport : 2db
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lan tower : boi
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 280 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	241454
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We had just taken off VFR from art davis, and as soon as we were at safe altitude and airspeed (as soon as practical) we called lansing approach and requested altitude of 4500 MSL. We were immediately given squawk code, were radar idented, and told to climb to 4500. While on our northerly departure heading, we experienced total and complete electrical failure. We followed the electrical failure checklist, without apparent success. Radios then became intermittent, with the only functioning channel 121.5. We ran the electrical failure checklist again, and this time, after shedding electrical load, the ammeter indicated the alternator back on line. During the failure, brief communication with lansing approach on 121.5 alerted them to our trouble, and now that the alternator was working, we were able to contact them, advise them that we had regained normal electrical function, still, however on 121.5. We requested frequency change to departure frequency, which they approved. The rest of the flight was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE IN THE LAN ARSA.

Narrative: WE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF VFR FROM ART DAVIS, AND AS SOON AS WE WERE AT SAFE ALT AND AIRSPD (AS SOON AS PRACTICAL) WE CALLED LANSING APCH AND REQUESTED ALT OF 4500 MSL. WE WERE IMMEDIATELY GIVEN SQUAWK CODE, WERE RADAR IDENTED, AND TOLD TO CLB TO 4500. WHILE ON OUR NORTHERLY DEP HDG, WE EXPERIENCED TOTAL AND COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. WE FOLLOWED THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE CHKLIST, WITHOUT APPARENT SUCCESS. RADIOS THEN BECAME INTERMITTENT, WITH THE ONLY FUNCTIONING CHANNEL 121.5. WE RAN THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE CHKLIST AGAIN, AND THIS TIME, AFTER SHEDDING ELECTRICAL LOAD, THE AMMETER INDICATED THE ALTERNATOR BACK ON LINE. DURING THE FAILURE, BRIEF COM WITH LANSING APCH ON 121.5 ALERTED THEM TO OUR TROUBLE, AND NOW THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS WORKING, WE WERE ABLE TO CONTACT THEM, ADVISE THEM THAT WE HAD REGAINED NORMAL ELECTRICAL FUNCTION, STILL, HOWEVER ON 121.5. WE REQUESTED FREQ CHANGE TO DEP FREQ, WHICH THEY APPROVED. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.