Pilot of an small aircraft sel aircraft makes a precautionary landing at night due to electrical sys...

Attributes
ACN	250963
Time
Date	199309
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : o56
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 46 flight time total : 875 flight time type : 36
ASRS Report	250963
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During flight under VFR to private airport noted that navigation panel lights keep blinking after use of flaps or other electrical equipment. Panel lights are under pilot's dash as a rheostat. Fog was moving over water in isolated areas near landing airport. Shut down all extra electrical equipment. Landing gear is electrical-mechanical with manual gear extension override. During this phase 1 of 2 flashlights was weak due to low batteries. Made precautionary landing at private airport to check landing gear indicator light which was very dim. Made approach to prevent from flying near isolated ground fog near several areas over the water. After landing checked gear linkage and panel twist rheostat switch. Found by twisting dial several moments, lights were more normal with adjustment. Possible corrosion or dirt particles accumulated on switch preventing normal adjustment when turned, or possible load/vibration.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT MAKES A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT NIGHT DUE TO ELECTRICAL SYS PROB.

Narrative: DURING FLT UNDER VFR TO PRIVATE ARPT NOTED THAT NAV PANEL LIGHTS KEEP BLINKING AFTER USE OF FLAPS OR OTHER ELECTRICAL EQUIP. PANEL LIGHTS ARE UNDER PLT'S DASH AS A RHEOSTAT. FOG WAS MOVING OVER WATER IN ISOLATED AREAS NEAR LNDG ARPT. SHUT DOWN ALL EXTRA ELECTRICAL EQUIP. LNDG GEAR IS ELECTRICAL-MECHANICAL WITH MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION OVERRIDE. DURING THIS PHASE 1 OF 2 FLASHLIGHTS WAS WEAK DUE TO LOW BATTERIES. MADE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT PRIVATE ARPT TO CHK LNDG GEAR INDICATOR LIGHT WHICH WAS VERY DIM. MADE APCH TO PREVENT FROM FLYING NEAR ISOLATED GND FOG NEAR SEVERAL AREAS OVER THE WATER. AFTER LNDG CHKED GEAR LINKAGE AND PANEL TWIST RHEOSTAT SWITCH. FOUND BY TWISTING DIAL SEVERAL MOMENTS, LIGHTS WERE MORE NORMAL WITH ADJUSTMENT. POSSIBLE CORROSION OR DIRT PARTICLES ACCUMULATED ON SWITCH PREVENTING NORMAL ADJUSTMENT WHEN TURNED, OR POSSIBLE LOAD/VIBRATION.

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.

Pilot of an small aircraft sel aircraft makes a precautionary landing at night due to electrical system problem.