Narrative:

While on a practice ILS approach under VFR conditions, I experienced a complete electrical failure. I was cleared direct to the windsor NDB and told to inform the tower when I was beacon outbound. The localizer began to come in and as I began to make my outbound turn for the full approach, I noticed the NDB signal began to 'break up' and the needle stopped responding. I called windsor tower to inform them of my situation and to tell them I was going to continue the approach. I assumed the problem was in my receiver or with the NDB. Had I not become fixated on the problem, I would have realized sooner that the ammeter needle was moving erratically, indicating that an electrical failure was imminent. The radios immediately began to fail, so I tried to make a final transmission to windsor tower in the hopes of letting them know my situation. I also squawked 7600. I received no response and soon after lost all electrical power. I was already outside of the windsor control zone, so with no electrical power, I elected to remain clear of their airspace and to continue to the nearest uncontrolled airport (2GS) 10 mi to the south. The flight terminated without further incident. I immediately telephoned the windsor tower to inform them I had landed safely. This was fortunate because they had not received my 7600 and were beginning rescue operation. I felt my choice to remain clear of windsor was the correct one. However, in the future, I will endeavor to remain more diligent in monitoring the airplane's system. I will also try not to jump to conclusions concerning the cause of system failure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH LOSS OF RADIOS. RPTR PLT LANDED AT OUTLYING UNCTLED ARPT. CTLING TWR ALMOST INITIATED RESCUE OPS.

Narrative: WHILE ON A PRACTICE ILS APCH UNDER VFR CONDITIONS, I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I WAS CLRED DIRECT TO THE WINDSOR NDB AND TOLD TO INFORM THE TWR WHEN I WAS BEACON OUTBOUND. THE LOC BEGAN TO COME IN AND AS I BEGAN TO MAKE MY OUTBOUND TURN FOR THE FULL APCH, I NOTICED THE NDB SIGNAL BEGAN TO 'BREAK UP' AND THE NEEDLE STOPPED RESPONDING. I CALLED WINDSOR TWR TO INFORM THEM OF MY SIT AND TO TELL THEM I WAS GOING TO CONTINUE THE APCH. I ASSUMED THE PROB WAS IN MY RECEIVER OR WITH THE NDB. HAD I NOT BECOME FIXATED ON THE PROB, I WOULD HAVE REALIZED SOONER THAT THE AMMETER NEEDLE WAS MOVING ERRATICALLY, INDICATING THAT AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS IMMINENT. THE RADIOS IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO FAIL, SO I TRIED TO MAKE A FINAL XMISSION TO WINDSOR TWR IN THE HOPES OF LETTING THEM KNOW MY SIT. I ALSO SQUAWKED 7600. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE AND SOON AFTER LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR. I WAS ALREADY OUTSIDE OF THE WINDSOR CTL ZONE, SO WITH NO ELECTRICAL PWR, I ELECTED TO REMAIN CLR OF THEIR AIRSPACE AND TO CONTINUE TO THE NEAREST UNCTLED ARPT (2GS) 10 MI TO THE S. THE FLT TERMINATED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I IMMEDIATELY TELEPHONED THE WINDSOR TWR TO INFORM THEM I HAD LANDED SAFELY. THIS WAS FORTUNATE BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED MY 7600 AND WERE BEGINNING RESCUE OP. I FELT MY CHOICE TO REMAIN CLR OF WINDSOR WAS THE CORRECT ONE. HOWEVER, IN THE FUTURE, I WILL ENDEAVOR TO REMAIN MORE DILIGENT IN MONITORING THE AIRPLANE'S SYS. I WILL ALSO TRY NOT TO JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING THE CAUSE OF SYS FAILURE.

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.