An air carrier small transport diverted to its alternate with an instrument and electrical failure.

Attributes
ACN	251793
Time
Date	199309
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : hya airport : bos
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : hya
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10700 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	251793
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We experienced flagging off of all navigation and electrical flight instruments for about 5 seconds as we got a master caution light illumination as well as a #1 inverter failed light. Per the pilot's operating handbook, we selected the defective inverter off and, as a crew, discussed our situation and decided to return to boston's 15 scattered, 40 broken, 15 mi visibility WX which was much preferable to hyannis' 1000 ft overcast, 6 mi visibility and haze. The cold front in the northeast area made good sense for us to head north as the further north we could go, the more VFR the WX. We advised ATC of our electrical malfunction, but requested no further assistance at the time. We landed bos without further problems and were surprised the emergency vehicles were awaiting by the side of the runway. Once again, we stated no assistance was needed and we taxied to the ramp where maintenance repaired our beleagured craft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR SMT DIVERTED TO ITS ALTERNATE WITH AN INST AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: WE EXPERIENCED FLAGGING OFF OF ALL NAV AND ELECTRICAL FLT INSTS FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS AS WE GOT A MASTER CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATION AS WELL AS A #1 INVERTER FAILED LIGHT. PER THE PLT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, WE SELECTED THE DEFECTIVE INVERTER OFF AND, AS A CREW, DISCUSSED OUR SIT AND DECIDED TO RETURN TO BOSTON'S 15 SCATTERED, 40 BROKEN, 15 MI VISIBILITY WX WHICH WAS MUCH PREFERABLE TO HYANNIS' 1000 FT OVCST, 6 MI VISIBILITY AND HAZE. THE COLD FRONT IN THE NE AREA MADE GOOD SENSE FOR US TO HEAD N AS THE FURTHER N WE COULD GO, THE MORE VFR THE WX. WE ADVISED ATC OF OUR ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION, BUT REQUESTED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE AT THE TIME. WE LANDED BOS WITHOUT FURTHER PROBS AND WERE SURPRISED THE EMER VEHICLES WERE AWAITING BY THE SIDE OF THE RWY. ONCE AGAIN, WE STATED NO ASSISTANCE WAS NEEDED AND WE TAXIED TO THE RAMP WHERE MAINT REPAIRED OUR BELEAGURED CRAFT.

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.