Complete electrical failure in night IFR.

Attributes
ACN	293740
Time
Date	199501
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jst
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : jst
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4900 flight time type : 75
ASRS Report	293740
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After 3 1/2 hours into proposed 5 1/2 hour IFR flight, I noticed that both generators had ceased operating. WX was IMC, night at 11000 ft. I advised center and requested lower altitude and vectors to nearest airport. I was issued a clearance to 4600 ft and vectors for ILS runway 33 jst. Upon reaching 4600 ft, I lost all electrical power and communications and navigation capability. Was between layers with occasional ground contact with scattered layer to the west. Extended landing gear manually with flashlight as only illumination. Descended below scattered layer visually, located the airport visually, and landed jst NORDO without further incident. Canceled IFR personally with the tower. Review of emergency gear extension at night with flashlight essential.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN NIGHT IFR.

Narrative: AFTER 3 1/2 HRS INTO PROPOSED 5 1/2 HR IFR FLT, I NOTICED THAT BOTH GENERATORS HAD CEASED OPERATING. WX WAS IMC, NIGHT AT 11000 FT. I ADVISED CTR AND REQUESTED LOWER ALT AND VECTORS TO NEAREST ARPT. I WAS ISSUED A CLRNC TO 4600 FT AND VECTORS FOR ILS RWY 33 JST. UPON REACHING 4600 FT, I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR AND COMS AND NAV CAPABILITY. WAS BTWN LAYERS WITH OCCASIONAL GND CONTACT WITH SCATTERED LAYER TO THE W. EXTENDED LNDG GEAR MANUALLY WITH FLASHLIGHT AS ONLY ILLUMINATION. DSNDED BELOW SCATTERED LAYER VISUALLY, LOCATED THE ARPT VISUALLY, AND LANDED JST NORDO WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CANCELED IFR PERSONALLY WITH THE TWR. REVIEW OF EMER GEAR EXTENSION AT NIGHT WITH FLASHLIGHT ESSENTIAL.

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.