Small aircraft on approach has electrical failure. Power returns to enable normal landing.

Attributes
ACN	273651
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cam
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zbw
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 : 250 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	273651
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The airplane was new to me on this flight. It checked out fine upon thorough preflight and all electrical system worked well. I had filed an IFR flight plan but elected to go VFR. The WX was severe clear. Ammeter showed no trouble upon periodic scan and all electrical system operated normally for 3/4 of the flight. When nearly at destination while talking to center, radios became very weak, both navigation and communication. Then all electrical died. I tried to reach albany approach with my hand-held, but I could not raise them. While trouble-shooting the problem near bennington the power came back on and we landed normally at our destination. It later turned out that the alternator needed new brushes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON APCH HAS ELECTRICAL FAILURE. PWR RETURNS TO ENABLE NORMAL LNDG.

Narrative: THE AIRPLANE WAS NEW TO ME ON THIS FLT. IT CHKED OUT FINE UPON THOROUGH PREFLT AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYS WORKED WELL. I HAD FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN BUT ELECTED TO GO VFR. THE WX WAS SEVERE CLR. AMMETER SHOWED NO TROUBLE UPON PERIODIC SCAN AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYS OPERATED NORMALLY FOR 3/4 OF THE FLT. WHEN NEARLY AT DEST WHILE TALKING TO CTR, RADIOS BECAME VERY WEAK, BOTH NAV AND COM. THEN ALL ELECTRICAL DIED. I TRIED TO REACH ALBANY APCH WITH MY HAND-HELD, BUT I COULD NOT RAISE THEM. WHILE TROUBLE-SHOOTING THE PROB NEAR BENNINGTON THE PWR CAME BACK ON AND WE LANDED NORMALLY AT OUR DEST. IT LATER TURNED OUT THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED NEW BRUSHES.

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.