Narrative:

The first tampa approach controller advised transponder not readable all of a sudden. Handed off to next controller who advised to expect visual approach runway 36R. I then initiated call to request status reading of transponder with no response. Heard several conversations and then radio dead. I was flying VFR on a 5 mi final and continued hoping to receive light gun signals. On 2 mi final, I saw a green light and proceeded to land. There was a strong crosswind and heavy turbulence/wind shear and could not execute safe landing, thus executed go around. I then made a right climbing turn to center of airport and began to circle, anticipating additional light gun signals. Once received, I began a downwind to runway 9, however, a rainshower over east end of runway blocked visibility, therefore, landed runway 36L. After landing, unable to see tower due to rain so waited until security escort to ramp. I had not noticed a discharge on ammeter until ATC advised that transponder was fading, as the reading was very slight and there was no low voltage light in the plane. I recycled alternator switch, checked circuit breaker with no luck. I then turned off all electrical equipment except 1 radio. At that point, radio went dead. I had been advised to expect visual approach to runway 36R and was given an altitude of 2600 ft MSL. Having flown into tpa on many occasions, I knew that this altitude restriction was to clear mcdill air force base, thus, after passing it, I began my descent looking for light gun signals. After my first attempt to land was unsuccessful I decided I would try 1 more approach before departing area, that is if the tower would clear me. I realized that there was no way for them to advise which runway I would be cleared for, so I decided to land as close to the wind as possible. However, when I saw the rain on the end of runway 9 and saw that runway 36L was clear, I landed on runway 36L.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF ATX SMA SINGLE ENG LAND HAD TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND LANDED USING LIGHT SIGNALS FROM THE TWR AT NIGHT.

Narrative: THE FIRST TAMPA APCH CTLR ADVISED XPONDER NOT READABLE ALL OF A SUDDEN. HANDED OFF TO NEXT CTLR WHO ADVISED TO EXPECT VISUAL APCH RWY 36R. I THEN INITIATED CALL TO REQUEST STATUS READING OF XPONDER WITH NO RESPONSE. HEARD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS AND THEN RADIO DEAD. I WAS FLYING VFR ON A 5 MI FINAL AND CONTINUED HOPING TO RECEIVE LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. ON 2 MI FINAL, I SAW A GREEN LIGHT AND PROCEEDED TO LAND. THERE WAS A STRONG XWIND AND HVY TURB/WIND SHEAR AND COULD NOT EXECUTE SAFE LNDG, THUS EXECUTED GAR. I THEN MADE A R CLBING TURN TO CTR OF ARPT AND BEGAN TO CIRCLE, ANTICIPATING ADDITIONAL LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. ONCE RECEIVED, I BEGAN A DOWNWIND TO RWY 9, HOWEVER, A RAINSHOWER OVER E END OF RWY BLOCKED VISIBILITY, THEREFORE, LANDED RWY 36L. AFTER LNDG, UNABLE TO SEE TWR DUE TO RAIN SO WAITED UNTIL SECURITY ESCORT TO RAMP. I HAD NOT NOTICED A DISCHARGE ON AMMETER UNTIL ATC ADVISED THAT XPONDER WAS FADING, AS THE READING WAS VERY SLIGHT AND THERE WAS NO LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT IN THE PLANE. I RECYCLED ALTERNATOR SWITCH, CHKED CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH NO LUCK. I THEN TURNED OFF ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIP EXCEPT 1 RADIO. AT THAT POINT, RADIO WENT DEAD. I HAD BEEN ADVISED TO EXPECT VISUAL APCH TO RWY 36R AND WAS GIVEN AN ALT OF 2600 FT MSL. HAVING FLOWN INTO TPA ON MANY OCCASIONS, I KNEW THAT THIS ALT RESTRICTION WAS TO CLR MCDILL AIR FORCE BASE, THUS, AFTER PASSING IT, I BEGAN MY DSCNT LOOKING FOR LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. AFTER MY FIRST ATTEMPT TO LAND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL I DECIDED I WOULD TRY 1 MORE APCH BEFORE DEPARTING AREA, THAT IS IF THE TWR WOULD CLR ME. I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO ADVISE WHICH RWY I WOULD BE CLRED FOR, SO I DECIDED TO LAND AS CLOSE TO THE WIND AS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, WHEN I SAW THE RAIN ON THE END OF RWY 9 AND SAW THAT RWY 36L WAS CLR, I LANDED ON RWY 36L.

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.