Narrative:

I was on an IFR plan (rfd V100 alo direct ebs) in severe clear VMC for training, on a business trip with a bon V35. Shortly after climb out to 8000 and leveloff, I became aware of weaker radio transmission and altered volume. I became annoyed by a lot of interference on the radio and I switched radios with no resolution. Shortly after, I observed the flickering of the led's, then dark: I had lost all avionics power. I recycled the avionics master and engaged backup to no avail. I picked up the manual. The alternator warning light was not on suggesting no alternator malfunction. I recycled the battery and avionics switch anyway. I checked fuses in denial. I recycled avionics master to no avail. I considered landing: I lowered the gear, I noted it moved slowly but it did engage to 3 green. Then 3 green faded out. My decision to land would have been on a controled field dbq, but I was unsure of how to properly enter the airspace under lost communication sits. I considered the possible violation too. We proceeded on, approximately 170 NM without communication because of the excellent VFR assured accurate contact navigation. The engine operation never was in doubt. The beach mechanic and plane owner would be close to my ebs destination. During that time, when I lost communication, I was in ZAU control airspace. I maintained V100 as cleared but descended out of 8000 to 4500 to proceed VFR to destination. With gear deployed, airspeed was reduced to 115 KTS. Arrival was 1 hour late: the flaps only partially deployed, but we safely arrived. Upon arrival the FBO told me to call alo tower and I responded and spoke to tower supervisor who felt I proceeded acceptably, but needed to check with ZAU where transmission was lost. In retrospect, it would have been safer if I landed at the nearest uncontrolled field. Should I have lost an engine, a restart would not have been an option. (I have learned later that a jump start would have been possible if I feathered the propeller, but I did not know that at the time.) reason for failure: old battery failed to accept a charge.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF A SMA SEL CONTINUED TO DEST ARPT IN VMC AFTER LOOSING ALL COMS DUE TO A LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL PWR.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR PLAN (RFD V100 ALO DIRECT EBS) IN SEVERE CLR VMC FOR TRAINING, ON A BUSINESS TRIP WITH A BON V35. SHORTLY AFTER CLBOUT TO 8000 AND LEVELOFF, I BECAME AWARE OF WEAKER RADIO XMISSION AND ALTERED VOLUME. I BECAME ANNOYED BY A LOT OF INTERFERENCE ON THE RADIO AND I SWITCHED RADIOS WITH NO RESOLUTION. SHORTLY AFTER, I OBSERVED THE FLICKERING OF THE LED'S, THEN DARK: I HAD LOST ALL AVIONICS PWR. I RECYCLED THE AVIONICS MASTER AND ENGAGED BACKUP TO NO AVAIL. I PICKED UP THE MANUAL. THE ALTERNATOR WARNING LIGHT WAS NOT ON SUGGESTING NO ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTION. I RECYCLED THE BATTERY AND AVIONICS SWITCH ANYWAY. I CHKED FUSES IN DENIAL. I RECYCLED AVIONICS MASTER TO NO AVAIL. I CONSIDERED LNDG: I LOWERED THE GEAR, I NOTED IT MOVED SLOWLY BUT IT DID ENGAGE TO 3 GREEN. THEN 3 GREEN FADED OUT. MY DECISION TO LAND WOULD HAVE BEEN ON A CTLED FIELD DBQ, BUT I WAS UNSURE OF HOW TO PROPERLY ENTER THE AIRSPACE UNDER LOST COM SITS. I CONSIDERED THE POSSIBLE VIOLATION TOO. WE PROCEEDED ON, APPROX 170 NM WITHOUT COM BECAUSE OF THE EXCELLENT VFR ASSURED ACCURATE CONTACT NAV. THE ENG OP NEVER WAS IN DOUBT. THE BEACH MECH AND PLANE OWNER WOULD BE CLOSE TO MY EBS DEST. DURING THAT TIME, WHEN I LOST COM, I WAS IN ZAU CTL AIRSPACE. I MAINTAINED V100 AS CLRED BUT DSNDED OUT OF 8000 TO 4500 TO PROCEED VFR TO DEST. WITH GEAR DEPLOYED, AIRSPD WAS REDUCED TO 115 KTS. ARR WAS 1 HR LATE: THE FLAPS ONLY PARTIALLY DEPLOYED, BUT WE SAFELY ARRIVED. UPON ARR THE FBO TOLD ME TO CALL ALO TWR AND I RESPONDED AND SPOKE TO TWR SUPVR WHO FELT I PROCEEDED ACCEPTABLY, BUT NEEDED TO CHK WITH ZAU WHERE XMISSION WAS LOST. IN RETROSPECT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SAFER IF I LANDED AT THE NEAREST UNCTLED FIELD. SHOULD I HAVE LOST AN ENG, A RESTART WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AN OPTION. (I HAVE LEARNED LATER THAT A JUMP START WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF I FEATHERED THE PROP, BUT I DID NOT KNOW THAT AT THE TIME.) REASON FOR FAILURE: OLD BATTERY FAILED TO ACCEPT A CHARGE.

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.