Pilot of a small aircraft private aircraft made takeoff without use of aircraft landing lights to co...

Attributes
ACN	260616
Time
Date	199401
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bxa
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	260616
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe 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:

The alternator light activated during cruise, IFR from jackson, ms, to new orleans lakefront. I requested and received vectors to the nearest airport, bxa from approach, to check things out. No problem could be found after restart so I proceeded to depart bxa with positioning lights only to conserve power. I did not use the landing lights. I then landed at new without incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the cessna 210 alternator belt had broken causing the alternator to not recharge the battery. However, when the amp meter registered a positive flow during inspection after his precautionary landing, the reporter believed that he was getting current from the alternator. He could not see the broken drive belt, therefore, he did not know at that time he was not getting a charge! He elected to not use the landing light in order to save current in case he was not getting the normal output. He further stated that he reads all callbacks and believes that most are submitted to help pilots to not be violated by the FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A SMA PVT ACFT MADE TKOF WITHOUT USE OF ACFT LNDG LIGHTS TO CONSERVE THE BATTERY LOAD DUE TO ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT ACTIVATED DURING CRUISE, IFR FROM JACKSON, MS, TO NEW ORLEANS LAKEFRONT. I REQUESTED AND RECEIVED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT, BXA FROM APCH, TO CHK THINGS OUT. NO PROB COULD BE FOUND AFTER RESTART SO I PROCEEDED TO DEPART BXA WITH POSITIONING LIGHTS ONLY TO CONSERVE PWR. I DID NOT USE THE LNDG LIGHTS. I THEN LANDED AT NEW WITHOUT INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE CESSNA 210 ALTERNATOR BELT HAD BROKEN CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO NOT RECHARGE THE BATTERY. HOWEVER, WHEN THE AMP METER REGISTERED A POSITIVE FLOW DURING INSPECTION AFTER HIS PRECAUTIONARY LNDG, THE RPTR BELIEVED THAT HE WAS GETTING CURRENT FROM THE ALTERNATOR. HE COULD NOT SEE THE BROKEN DRIVE BELT, THEREFORE, HE DID NOT KNOW AT THAT TIME HE WAS NOT GETTING A CHARGE! HE ELECTED TO NOT USE THE LNDG LIGHT IN ORDER TO SAVE CURRENT IN CASE HE WAS NOT GETTING THE NORMAL OUTPUT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE READS ALL CALLBACKS AND BELIEVES THAT MOST ARE SUBMITTED TO HELP PLTS TO NOT BE VIOLATED BY THE FAA.

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 a small aircraft private aircraft made takeoff without use of aircraft landing lights to conserve the battery load due to alternator malfunction.