Small aircraft has alternator light activate, turns off master. Has engine failure, forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	243967
Time
Date	199306
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ia41
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cid
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1520
ASRS Report	243967
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We took off from marron, ia, for clarinda, ia. No flight plan was used as we use VFR flight following when not IFR. We immediately entered cedar rapids airspace climbing to 6500 ft when a few mins later our alternator light went on indicating we were on battery power only. I waited until we were almost out of cedar rapids airspace when I informed ATC that I would like to cancel services as we had electrical problems. This did not constitute an emergency in my mind as we had good VFR and our flight path kept us out of any controled airspace. I turned off the master to prevent any possible drain on the battery so that we could lower gear, flaps, etc when we got to our destination airport. It was still not dark at this time. We continued on for 20 mins till we had a catastrophic engine failure. I turned on all electrical system and made an emergency landing in a field near indianola, ia, which we survived. The FAA wants to take action against me because I turned navigation lights off and transponder off. I could have landed at cedar rapids airport but I thought it more logical to proceed to clarinda as my electrical problems were not an emergency in my mind.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ALTERNATOR LIGHT ACTIVATE, TURNS OFF MASTER. HAS ENG FAILURE, FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: WE TOOK OFF FROM MARRON, IA, FOR CLARINDA, IA. NO FLT PLAN WAS USED AS WE USE VFR FLT FOLLOWING WHEN NOT IFR. WE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED CEDAR RAPIDS AIRSPACE CLBING TO 6500 FT WHEN A FEW MINS LATER OUR ALTERNATOR LIGHT WENT ON INDICATING WE WERE ON BATTERY PWR ONLY. I WAITED UNTIL WE WERE ALMOST OUT OF CEDAR RAPIDS AIRSPACE WHEN I INFORMED ATC THAT I WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL SVCS AS WE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBS. THIS DID NOT CONSTITUTE AN EMER IN MY MIND AS WE HAD GOOD VFR AND OUR FLT PATH KEPT US OUT OF ANY CTLED AIRSPACE. I TURNED OFF THE MASTER TO PREVENT ANY POSSIBLE DRAIN ON THE BATTERY SO THAT WE COULD LOWER GEAR, FLAPS, ETC WHEN WE GOT TO OUR DEST ARPT. IT WAS STILL NOT DARK AT THIS TIME. WE CONTINUED ON FOR 20 MINS TILL WE HAD A CATASTROPHIC ENG FAILURE. I TURNED ON ALL ELECTRICAL SYS AND MADE AN EMER LNDG IN A FIELD NEAR INDIANOLA, IA, WHICH WE SURVIVED. THE FAA WANTS TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST ME BECAUSE I TURNED NAV LIGHTS OFF AND XPONDER OFF. I COULD HAVE LANDED AT CEDAR RAPIDS ARPT BUT I THOUGHT IT MORE LOGICAL TO PROCEED TO CLARINDA AS MY ELECTRICAL PROBS WERE NOT AN EMER IN MY MIND.

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.