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Aircraft alternator failed in IMC diverted to closer airport and went below minimums before total loss of electrical power.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 278156 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199407 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : n90 airport : cdw |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 700 msl bound upper : 700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 tower : cdw |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1100 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 278156 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : overshoot inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other other : unspecified cockpit |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation other |
Narrative:
On an approach to morristown airport in heavy rain and thunderstorms in the area, the alternator on my aircraft failed in IMC. Due to storms and dying battery, I chose to land in caldwell airport. The localizer runway 22 approach was active. With uncertain indications on localizer, I descended to 700 ft to clear clouds and located airport visually. This was 100 ft below minimum descent altitude, and was necessary as electrical power was failing. A safe landing was conducted caldwell airport.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACFT ALTERNATOR FAILED IN IMC DIVERTED TO CLOSER ARPT AND WENT BELOW MINIMUMS BEFORE TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR.
Narrative: ON AN APCH TO MORRISTOWN ARPT IN HVY RAIN AND TSTMS IN THE AREA, THE ALTERNATOR ON MY ACFT FAILED IN IMC. DUE TO STORMS AND DYING BATTERY, I CHOSE TO LAND IN CALDWELL ARPT. THE LOC RWY 22 APCH WAS ACTIVE. WITH UNCERTAIN INDICATIONS ON LOC, I DSNDED TO 700 FT TO CLR CLOUDS AND LOCATED ARPT VISUALLY. THIS WAS 100 FT BELOW MINIMUM DSCNT ALT, AND WAS NECESSARY AS ELECTRICAL PWR WAS FAILING. A SAFE LNDG WAS CONDUCTED CALDWELL ARPT.
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.