Narrative:

On nov/xx/94 at XA30 EST we filed and obtained an IFR clearance from mac to tpf. Our piper arrow, XXX, was cleared via radar vectors to vna VOR, then as filed (V-579 to cross city, V-35 to eltor intersection, then direct tpf). Approximately 10 mi northwest of valdosta, we entered night IMC conditions at 7000 ft. Just prior to crossing the cross city VOR (about 10- 15 mi north) aircraft instruments revealed possible electrical problems beginning to develop. Following further in-flight checks it was apparent that total electrical failure was imminent. Appropriate action was taken to reduce electrical load as much as possible. In accordance with 91.187, ATC was notified of the impending malfunction of the aircraft's electrical system. A short time thereafter, nxxx had a total electrical system failure, making all communication/navigation equipment inoperative. In accordance with airman's information manual 6-32 we began squawking 7600 on the transponder. Per 6-33, radio communication were subsequently re-established with ATC using handheld radio equipment on the previously assigned frequency. While maintaining last assigned heading and altitude (far 91.181), we requested and received from ZJX, WX information for our present position (IMC) and our destination (reported 'good VFR'). Based on reported WX conditions, our familiarity with tampa (home base -- tpf) and obstruction/terrain features at tampa class B, and in the interest of safety of the flight, we proceeded to our destination with a corresponding clearance. As power in the handheld equipment began to weaken, we received the assistance of another GA aircraft in our area to relay communication to/from ATC. Concurrently, we advised via the relaying aircraft that we were now squawking emergency code 7700 (airman's information manual 6-12). Heading and altitude were maintained as instructed by ZJX while handoff to tampa approach was in process. After losing power in the second handheld radio, we were able to accept an appropriate handoff to tampa approach using the third handheld radio onboard. Tampa advised that our des was still VFR but to expect clearance to pie (st. Petersburg clearwater), not tpf because of approaching/departing tia traffic. In assigning our final altitude of 1600 ft (we were still IMC) tampa cleared us direct to the OM for the approach to ILS runway 17L at pie. We immediately re-advised tampa of our emergency situation regarding the total lack of navigation capability as well as the weakening power in the third handheld radio. At this time, we further advised tampa to alert the pie tower of our intentions to land 'straight-in' on runway 17L. At 2.2 mi DME north of pie, west visually idented runway 17L and subsequently landed safely. In retrospect, we feel strongly that we complied with all FARS and airman's information manual pertaining to our flight. At the same time we feel that tampa, for whatever reason, did not fully understand the emergency conditions we were experiencing because: 1) we were not offered a PAR to tia. 2) we were not cleared to our destination (probably because of the inconvenience associated with arrival and departure at tia). 3) we were cleared for an ILS approach to pie with absolutely no navigation capability.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR LOST ALL ELECTRICAL ON IFR IMC FLT BUT WAS FORTIFIED WITH 3 HANDHELD RADIOS.

Narrative: ON NOV/XX/94 AT XA30 EST WE FILED AND OBTAINED AN IFR CLRNC FROM MAC TO TPF. OUR PIPER ARROW, XXX, WAS CLRED VIA RADAR VECTORS TO VNA VOR, THEN AS FILED (V-579 TO CROSS CITY, V-35 TO ELTOR INTXN, THEN DIRECT TPF). APPROX 10 MI NW OF VALDOSTA, WE ENTERED NIGHT IMC CONDITIONS AT 7000 FT. JUST PRIOR TO XING THE CROSS CITY VOR (ABOUT 10- 15 MI N) ACFT INSTS REVEALED POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP. FOLLOWING FURTHER INFLT CHKS IT WAS APPARENT THAT TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS IMMINENT. APPROPRIATE ACTION WAS TAKEN TO REDUCE ELECTRICAL LOAD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IN ACCORDANCE WITH 91.187, ATC WAS NOTIFIED OF THE IMPENDING MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT'S ELECTRICAL SYS. A SHORT TIME THEREAFTER, NXXX HAD A TOTAL ELECTRICAL SYS FAILURE, MAKING ALL COM/NAV EQUIP INOP. IN ACCORDANCE WITH AIRMAN'S INFO MANUAL 6-32 WE BEGAN SQUAWKING 7600 ON THE XPONDER. PER 6-33, RADIO COM WERE SUBSEQUENTLY RE-ESTABLISHED WITH ATC USING HANDHELD RADIO EQUIP ON THE PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED FREQ. WHILE MAINTAINING LAST ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT (FAR 91.181), WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED FROM ZJX, WX INFO FOR OUR PRESENT POS (IMC) AND OUR DEST (RPTED 'GOOD VFR'). BASED ON RPTED WX CONDITIONS, OUR FAMILIARITY WITH TAMPA (HOME BASE -- TPF) AND OBSTRUCTION/TERRAIN FEATURES AT TAMPA CLASS B, AND IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY OF THE FLT, WE PROCEEDED TO OUR DEST WITH A CORRESPONDING CLRNC. AS PWR IN THE HANDHELD EQUIP BEGAN TO WEAKEN, WE RECEIVED THE ASSISTANCE OF ANOTHER GA ACFT IN OUR AREA TO RELAY COM TO/FROM ATC. CONCURRENTLY, WE ADVISED VIA THE RELAYING ACFT THAT WE WERE NOW SQUAWKING EMER CODE 7700 (AIRMAN'S INFO MANUAL 6-12). HDG AND ALT WERE MAINTAINED AS INSTRUCTED BY ZJX WHILE HDOF TO TAMPA APCH WAS IN PROCESS. AFTER LOSING PWR IN THE SECOND HANDHELD RADIO, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCEPT AN APPROPRIATE HDOF TO TAMPA APCH USING THE THIRD HANDHELD RADIO ONBOARD. TAMPA ADVISED THAT OUR DES WAS STILL VFR BUT TO EXPECT CLRNC TO PIE (ST. PETERSBURG CLEARWATER), NOT TPF BECAUSE OF APCHING/DEPARTING TIA TFC. IN ASSIGNING OUR FINAL ALT OF 1600 FT (WE WERE STILL IMC) TAMPA CLRED US DIRECT TO THE OM FOR THE APCH TO ILS RWY 17L AT PIE. WE IMMEDIATELY RE-ADVISED TAMPA OF OUR EMER SIT REGARDING THE TOTAL LACK OF NAV CAPABILITY AS WELL AS THE WEAKENING PWR IN THE THIRD HANDHELD RADIO. AT THIS TIME, WE FURTHER ADVISED TAMPA TO ALERT THE PIE TWR OF OUR INTENTIONS TO LAND 'STRAIGHT-IN' ON RWY 17L. AT 2.2 MI DME N OF PIE, W VISUALLY IDENTED RWY 17L AND SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED SAFELY. IN RETROSPECT, WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT WE COMPLIED WITH ALL FARS AND AIRMAN'S INFO MANUAL PERTAINING TO OUR FLT. AT THE SAME TIME WE FEEL THAT TAMPA, FOR WHATEVER REASON, DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE EMER CONDITIONS WE WERE EXPERIENCING BECAUSE: 1) WE WERE NOT OFFERED A PAR TO TIA. 2) WE WERE NOT CLRED TO OUR DEST (PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE INCONVENIENCE ASSOCIATED WITH ARR AND DEP AT TIA). 3) WE WERE CLRED FOR AN ILS APCH TO PIE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO NAV CAPABILITY.

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.