Flight crew experienced total electrical failure and executed an off airport forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	297269
Time
Date	199502
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hst
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	other
Make Model Name	AS 350 Astar/Ecureuil
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	297269
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flying south at 500 ft MSL at 110 KTS. Lost total electrical power in a as-350-B2 helicopter. Made a precautionary landing in a large, open field on key largo. The generator had failed, but the generator light did not illuminate. First indication the electric clock showed 0:00 and the wolfsburg radio failed. With the radio equipment we carry on board, we have about 10 min during day time flight when the generator fails to battery depletion. The annunciator warning panel needs a back up battery system and a horn. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated he was a govt employee flying a govt helicopter, aerospatial 350 astar. The engine will run without electrical but the engine indications like rotor RPM will quit when the electrical power is lost. This helicopter is especially fitted for the customs mission with additional than normal radios and electrical appliances that reduce the battery life to about 12 min day and 5 min night when the generator fails. Normally, the battery life would be about 50 min day and 20 min night. The generator is a starter generator. That is, the generator functions as the engine starter motor until the jet engine is up to speed and then the starter motor becomes a generator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND EXECUTED AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG.

Narrative: FLYING S AT 500 FT MSL AT 110 KTS. LOST TOTAL ELECTRICAL PWR IN A AS-350-B2 HELI. MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG IN A LARGE, OPEN FIELD ON KEY LARGO. THE GENERATOR HAD FAILED, BUT THE GENERATOR LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. FIRST INDICATION THE ELECTRIC CLOCK SHOWED 0:00 AND THE WOLFSBURG RADIO FAILED. WITH THE RADIO EQUIP WE CARRY ON BOARD, WE HAVE ABOUT 10 MIN DURING DAY TIME FLT WHEN THE GENERATOR FAILS TO BATTERY DEPLETION. THE ANNUNCIATOR WARNING PANEL NEEDS A BACK UP BATTERY SYS AND A HORN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE WAS A GOVT EMPLOYEE FLYING A GOVT HELI, AEROSPATIAL 350 ASTAR. THE ENG WILL RUN WITHOUT ELECTRICAL BUT THE ENG INDICATIONS LIKE ROTOR RPM WILL QUIT WHEN THE ELECTRICAL PWR IS LOST. THIS HELI IS ESPECIALLY FITTED FOR THE CUSTOMS MISSION WITH ADDITIONAL THAN NORMAL RADIOS AND ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES THAT REDUCE THE BATTERY LIFE TO ABOUT 12 MIN DAY AND 5 MIN NIGHT WHEN THE GENERATOR FAILS. NORMALLY, THE BATTERY LIFE WOULD BE ABOUT 50 MIN DAY AND 20 MIN NIGHT. THE GENERATOR IS A STARTER GENERATOR. THAT IS, THE GENERATOR FUNCTIONS AS THE ENG STARTER MOTOR UNTIL THE JET ENG IS UP TO SPD AND THEN THE STARTER MOTOR BECOMES A GENERATOR.

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.