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Aircraft equipment problem - pilot had an alternator failure in-flight and made a precautionary landing. He tightened a loose drive belt and continued to destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 301132 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199504 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : pkh |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mia |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| 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 : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 301132 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| 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:
Precautionary landing due to alternator failure. Landed at a remote airport with no maintenance facilities available. Went back to the airport the following day to find that alternator was still intact (just had loosened up). Tightened the alternator and put belt back on. Obtained WX information and found that day VFR conditions existed to the next available airport (opa loca, fl). Sent the passenger on to opa loca via ground transportation. Performed ground runup to confirm that the alternator was charging properly. I transitioned the aircraft to opa loca. Could not obtain a mechanic to further investigate problem. Left the airplane in opa loca and returned to erie, PA, via scheduled airlines. I feel that a violation may have occurred in tightening the alternator without the assistance of a certified mechanic.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB - PLT HAD AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE INFLT AND MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. HE TIGHTENED A LOOSE DRIVE BELT AND CONTINUED TO DEST.
Narrative: PRECAUTIONARY LNDG DUE TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE. LANDED AT A REMOTE ARPT WITH NO MAINT FACILITIES AVAILABLE. WENT BACK TO THE ARPT THE FOLLOWING DAY TO FIND THAT ALTERNATOR WAS STILL INTACT (JUST HAD LOOSENED UP). TIGHTENED THE ALTERNATOR AND PUT BELT BACK ON. OBTAINED WX INFO AND FOUND THAT DAY VFR CONDITIONS EXISTED TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE ARPT (OPA LOCA, FL). SENT THE PAX ON TO OPA LOCA VIA GND TRANSPORTATION. PERFORMED GND RUNUP TO CONFIRM THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS CHARGING PROPERLY. I TRANSITIONED THE ACFT TO OPA LOCA. COULD NOT OBTAIN A MECH TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE PROB. LEFT THE AIRPLANE IN OPA LOCA AND RETURNED TO ERIE, PA, VIA SCHEDULED AIRLINES. I FEEL THAT A VIOLATION MAY HAVE OCCURRED IN TIGHTENING THE ALTERNATOR WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF A CERTIFIED MECH.
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.