Aircraft equipment problem complete electrical failure.

Attributes
ACN	298346
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : loz airport : 4i1
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 1250 flight time type : 1250
ASRS Report	298346
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At cruise altitude of 8000 ft approximately 10 mins after departure from a private field at deerfield resort, a generator output circuit breaker popped. This had never happened before in this aircraft. I reset the circuit and then began turning off non-essential electrical equipment. I noticed the alternator indicated a low condition and I immediately advised ZID of my situation and indicated we would attempt to make london, ky, if my navigation system remained intact. I also declared an emergency and was given direct clearance to loz. Within approximately 1-2 mins, I experienced a total loss of electrical power to my panel. Judging that any attempt to make an approach under these conditions would be unwise, I took the first opportunity to descend through a break in the clouds to obtain VMC. This accomplished, I used my handheld battery operated GPS to navigation to the nearest airport which was williamsburg, ky, 4i1. Knowing I was below radar coverage, and not knowing if we would experience further related electrical problems (ie, fire or engine failure), I temporarily activated my ELT to help pinpoint my location for center. Upon successfully landing at 4i1, I immediately called authorities by telephone, reaching nashville flight service who relayed our status to ZID. The cause of the original electrical failure is being investigated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: AT CRUISE ALT OF 8000 FT APPROX 10 MINS AFTER DEP FROM A PRIVATE FIELD AT DEERFIELD RESORT, A GENERATOR OUTPUT CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED. THIS HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN THIS ACFT. I RESET THE CIRCUIT AND THEN BEGAN TURNING OFF NON-ESSENTIAL ELECTRICAL EQUIP. I NOTICED THE ALTERNATOR INDICATED A LOW CONDITION AND I IMMEDIATELY ADVISED ZID OF MY SIT AND INDICATED WE WOULD ATTEMPT TO MAKE LONDON, KY, IF MY NAV SYS REMAINED INTACT. I ALSO DECLARED AN EMER AND WAS GIVEN DIRECT CLRNC TO LOZ. WITHIN APPROX 1-2 MINS, I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR TO MY PANEL. JUDGING THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO MAKE AN APCH UNDER THESE CONDITIONS WOULD BE UNWISE, I TOOK THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO DSND THROUGH A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS TO OBTAIN VMC. THIS ACCOMPLISHED, I USED MY HANDHELD BATTERY OPERATED GPS TO NAV TO THE NEAREST ARPT WHICH WAS WILLIAMSBURG, KY, 4I1. KNOWING I WAS BELOW RADAR COVERAGE, AND NOT KNOWING IF WE WOULD EXPERIENCE FURTHER RELATED ELECTRICAL PROBS (IE, FIRE OR ENG FAILURE), I TEMPORARILY ACTIVATED MY ELT TO HELP PINPOINT MY LOCATION FOR CTR. UPON SUCCESSFULLY LNDG AT 4I1, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED AUTHORITIES BY TELEPHONE, REACHING NASHVILLE FLT SVC WHO RELAYED OUR STATUS TO ZID. THE CAUSE OF THE ORIGINAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE IS BEING INVESTIGATED.

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.