During an IFR flight, pilot lost all radios and transponder due to an electrical failure.

Attributes
ACN	296734
Time
Date	199502
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : psp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ont
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zla
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time total : 4000
ASRS Report	296734
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At approximately XA00 hours local, at about 10 mi southwest of psp, at 14000 ft, as I was about to descend for landing at sna, we experienced a complete electrical failure, and it was necessary to attempt communication with ATC on a hand held radio. With some preliminary difficulties, we were successful in contacting ontario approach on the hand held, and canceled IFR. We were immediately cleared to descend and were ultimately cleared to land at sna. The ammeter did not reflect a discharge, and the warning lights did not warn of the imminent failure. Because of the complete loss of electrical power, we were without a transponder, and penetrated class C airspace without a transponder. This incident confirmed my continued carrying of a hand held radio with external antenna adapter -- it made things a whole lot easier! The problem was ultimately idented as a failed voltage regulator. Unfortunately, even though this aircraft is inspected every 25 hours (at the oil changes), no problem was discovered or anticipated prior to the incident. The recommendation to other operators is to carry a back-up radio if no back-up power source (such as a stand-by alternator and regulator) is installed. An external antenna connection is absolutely necessary to allow communication with ATC on the hand held.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING AN IFR FLT, PLT LOST ALL RADIOS AND XPONDER DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA00 HRS LCL, AT ABOUT 10 MI SW OF PSP, AT 14000 FT, AS I WAS ABOUT TO DSND FOR LNDG AT SNA, WE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE, AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO ATTEMPT COM WITH ATC ON A HAND HELD RADIO. WITH SOME PRELIMINARY DIFFICULTIES, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN CONTACTING ONTARIO APCH ON THE HAND HELD, AND CANCELED IFR. WE WERE IMMEDIATELY CLRED TO DSND AND WERE ULTIMATELY CLRED TO LAND AT SNA. THE AMMETER DID NOT REFLECT A DISCHARGE, AND THE WARNING LIGHTS DID NOT WARN OF THE IMMINENT FAILURE. BECAUSE OF THE COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR, WE WERE WITHOUT A XPONDER, AND PENETRATED CLASS C AIRSPACE WITHOUT A XPONDER. THIS INCIDENT CONFIRMED MY CONTINUED CARRYING OF A HAND HELD RADIO WITH EXTERNAL ANTENNA ADAPTER -- IT MADE THINGS A WHOLE LOT EASIER! THE PROB WAS ULTIMATELY IDENTED AS A FAILED VOLTAGE REGULATOR. UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN THOUGH THIS ACFT IS INSPECTED EVERY 25 HRS (AT THE OIL CHANGES), NO PROB WAS DISCOVERED OR ANTICIPATED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE RECOMMENDATION TO OTHER OPERATORS IS TO CARRY A BACK-UP RADIO IF NO BACK-UP PWR SOURCE (SUCH AS A STAND-BY ALTERNATOR AND REGULATOR) IS INSTALLED. AN EXTERNAL ANTENNA CONNECTION IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO ALLOW COM WITH ATC ON THE HAND HELD.

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.