Small aircraft has alternator belt failure.

Attributes
ACN	308774
Time
Date	199506
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : axn
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 10620 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	308774
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	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

En route from ZID to ffm at 6000 ft IFR the alternator went dead near the axn VOR. I turned off electrical components except 1 communication and 1 navigation radio. Destination was AWOS marginal 200 ft overcast 1 mi in fog. Alternate airport (far) was VFR. Suddenly, the engine developed a vibration which I thought might be the propeller striking the alternator pulley. Then both radios went dead. I turned the aircraft 180 degrees to fly to axn and contacted ZMP on my hand-held portable radio, declared an emergency and told them I was descending between layers. My portable GPS receiver was using aircraft power so it quit when the battery went dead. I installed the GPS battery pack but the batteries were dead. I replaced the batteries with spares from my flight case and tuned the GPS to axn. I was now 6 mi east of axn so I turned 180 degrees and told center I was going to advisory frequency. They said call when on the ground. WX at axn was east 200 ft broken 120 ft broken 3 mi fog. I was able to stay VFR under the clouds and landed on runway 31. The vibration was caused by the broken alternator belt striking the propeller blades, like a playing card on a bicycle spoke wheel. Advisory called princeton FSS and closed our IFR plan. Because the propeller drives the airconditioner compressor and the alternator, the alternator belt has to be very small, only about 3/8 inch wide. We have to carry a spare belt in the plane because most shops do not stock them. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the aircraft is a PA32 saratoga. It was factory built with airconditioner and there is very little space behind the propeller, thus the narrow belt not stocked by many FBO's. Having had breaks previously he always carries a spare in the baggage compartment. He also mentioned that he had always heard there is so much paper work if one declares an emergency. He has not had to fill out one single piece of paper, he is please to say.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS ALTERNATOR BELT FAILURE.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM ZID TO FFM AT 6000 FT IFR THE ALTERNATOR WENT DEAD NEAR THE AXN VOR. I TURNED OFF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS EXCEPT 1 COM AND 1 NAV RADIO. DEST WAS AWOS MARGINAL 200 FT OVCST 1 MI IN FOG. ALTERNATE ARPT (FAR) WAS VFR. SUDDENLY, THE ENG DEVELOPED A VIBRATION WHICH I THOUGHT MIGHT BE THE PROP STRIKING THE ALTERNATOR PULLEY. THEN BOTH RADIOS WENT DEAD. I TURNED THE ACFT 180 DEGS TO FLY TO AXN AND CONTACTED ZMP ON MY HAND-HELD PORTABLE RADIO, DECLARED AN EMER AND TOLD THEM I WAS DSNDING BTWN LAYERS. MY PORTABLE GPS RECEIVER WAS USING ACFT PWR SO IT QUIT WHEN THE BATTERY WENT DEAD. I INSTALLED THE GPS BATTERY PACK BUT THE BATTERIES WERE DEAD. I REPLACED THE BATTERIES WITH SPARES FROM MY FLT CASE AND TUNED THE GPS TO AXN. I WAS NOW 6 MI E OF AXN SO I TURNED 180 DEGS AND TOLD CTR I WAS GOING TO ADVISORY FREQ. THEY SAID CALL WHEN ON THE GND. WX AT AXN WAS E 200 FT BROKEN 120 FT BROKEN 3 MI FOG. I WAS ABLE TO STAY VFR UNDER THE CLOUDS AND LANDED ON RWY 31. THE VIBRATION WAS CAUSED BY THE BROKEN ALTERNATOR BELT STRIKING THE PROP BLADES, LIKE A PLAYING CARD ON A BICYCLE SPOKE WHEEL. ADVISORY CALLED PRINCETON FSS AND CLOSED OUR IFR PLAN. BECAUSE THE PROP DRIVES THE AIRCONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND THE ALTERNATOR, THE ALTERNATOR BELT HAS TO BE VERY SMALL, ONLY ABOUT 3/8 INCH WIDE. WE HAVE TO CARRY A SPARE BELT IN THE PLANE BECAUSE MOST SHOPS DO NOT STOCK THEM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ACFT IS A PA32 SARATOGA. IT WAS FACTORY BUILT WITH AIRCONDITIONER AND THERE IS VERY LITTLE SPACE BEHIND THE PROP, THUS THE NARROW BELT NOT STOCKED BY MANY FBO'S. HAVING HAD BREAKS PREVIOUSLY HE ALWAYS CARRIES A SPARE IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAD ALWAYS HEARD THERE IS SO MUCH PAPER WORK IF ONE DECLARES AN EMER. HE HAS NOT HAD TO FILL OUT ONE SINGLE PIECE OF PAPER, HE IS PLEASE TO SAY.

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.