Private pilot of an small aircraft sel lost electrical generating source during an IFR flight and declared an emergency to land as soon as possible.

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Attributes
ACN	288192
Time
Date	199411
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bqk
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other landing other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v37
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 570 flight time type : 88
ASRS Report	288192
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Alternator warning light (1979 cessna 182 Q) on, ammeter showed discharge. Advised ATC I was going to bqk with imminent electrical failure. Cleared to 1850 ft to expect visual approach. Ceiling 1500 ft. Advised ATC upon arrival at 2000 ft navigating to LOM that I was declaring an emergency and going to go GPS direct to the final runway 7 at bqk (this given 1500 ft ceiling, no nearby obstructions, and unknown battery life remaining). Airport in sight at 1300 ft MSL 5 mi final and completed landing without aircraft lights but ATC had airport turn lights up. Mechanic found alternator belt loose -- possibly aggravated by cloud moisture. This belt was replaced 20 hours ago. Alternative might have been an ASR approach at jax (ceiling 900 ft) but battery life unknown and it was mins from total darkness. Other information: we had hand held -- didn't have to use, also had tb vacuum (north/a), had plenty of flash lights and ppsel wife available as copilot to help with approach plates and tuning communication and ILS etc. Cloud layer was from 1300 ft to about 5500 ft. Note that jax center has no radar coverage below about 3500 ft in vicinity of bqk so vectors to final not available.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT OF AN SMA SEL LOST ELECTRICAL GENERATING SOURCE DURING AN IFR FLT AND DECLARED AN EMER TO LAND ASAP.

Narrative: ALTERNATOR WARNING LIGHT (1979 CESSNA 182 Q) ON, AMMETER SHOWED DISCHARGE. ADVISED ATC I WAS GOING TO BQK WITH IMMINENT ELECTRICAL FAILURE. CLRED TO 1850 FT TO EXPECT VISUAL APCH. CEILING 1500 FT. ADVISED ATC UPON ARR AT 2000 FT NAVIGATING TO LOM THAT I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND GOING TO GO GPS DIRECT TO THE FINAL RWY 7 AT BQK (THIS GIVEN 1500 FT CEILING, NO NEARBY OBSTRUCTIONS, AND UNKNOWN BATTERY LIFE REMAINING). ARPT IN SIGHT AT 1300 FT MSL 5 MI FINAL AND COMPLETED LNDG WITHOUT ACFT LIGHTS BUT ATC HAD ARPT TURN LIGHTS UP. MECH FOUND ALTERNATOR BELT LOOSE -- POSSIBLY AGGRAVATED BY CLOUD MOISTURE. THIS BELT WAS REPLACED 20 HRS AGO. ALTERNATIVE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ASR APCH AT JAX (CEILING 900 FT) BUT BATTERY LIFE UNKNOWN AND IT WAS MINS FROM TOTAL DARKNESS. OTHER INFO: WE HAD HAND HELD -- DIDN'T HAVE TO USE, ALSO HAD TB VACUUM (N/A), HAD PLENTY OF FLASH LIGHTS AND PPSEL WIFE AVAILABLE AS COPLT TO HELP WITH APCH PLATES AND TUNING COM AND ILS ETC. CLOUD LAYER WAS FROM 1300 FT TO ABOUT 5500 FT. NOTE THAT JAX CTR HAS NO RADAR COVERAGE BELOW ABOUT 3500 FT IN VICINITY OF BQK SO VECTORS TO FINAL NOT AVAILABLE.

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.