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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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Aircraft equipment problem. Voltage regulator was inoperative and the backup regulator wouldn't come on the line. Being without electrical power other than battery, reporter pilot had only backup attitude indicator and was in IMC, so reporter climbed to get out of the IMC without clearance from ATC. After recycling the voltage regulator the power was restored.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 332076 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199603 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : avp |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : avp |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1750 flight time type : 70 |
| ASRS Report | 332076 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Voltage regulator was lost. Switched to #2 voltage regulator and nothing happened. Battery power was almost lost. Attitude indicator is electric so that rolled. I climbed to see if I could get out of the clouds to an altitude of approximately 7000 ft MSL. I then told the controller of my intentions with a weak radio. I had a vacuum driven attitude indicator on the copilot's side by the bottom of the panel. I used that to keep wings level until I started back to my original airport. At that time I recycled the voltage regulators and my power was restored. I landed back at avp safely. I feel that if I did not let the battery go below 17 volts, I would have had enough current to excite the alternators to work on the second voltage regulator. I feel that this is why it took time for the second regulator to come on line. I climbed to 7000 ft MSL because I was in terrain with hills (approximately 3000 ft MSL). Being in IMC and not having an attitude indicator momentarily was my judgement to make the climb without immediate clearance. When power was restored the ATC controller cleared me to 7000 ft MSL.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. VOLTAGE REGULATOR WAS INOP AND THE BACKUP REGULATOR WOULDN'T COME ON THE LINE. BEING WITHOUT ELECTRICAL PWR OTHER THAN BATTERY, RPTR PLT HAD ONLY BACKUP ATTITUDE INDICATOR AND WAS IN IMC, SO RPTR CLBED TO GET OUT OF THE IMC WITHOUT CLRNC FROM ATC. AFTER RECYCLING THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR THE PWR WAS RESTORED.
Narrative: VOLTAGE REGULATOR WAS LOST. SWITCHED TO #2 VOLTAGE REGULATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. BATTERY PWR WAS ALMOST LOST. ATTITUDE INDICATOR IS ELECTRIC SO THAT ROLLED. I CLBED TO SEE IF I COULD GET OUT OF THE CLOUDS TO AN ALT OF APPROX 7000 FT MSL. I THEN TOLD THE CTLR OF MY INTENTIONS WITH A WEAK RADIO. I HAD A VACUUM DRIVEN ATTITUDE INDICATOR ON THE COPLT'S SIDE BY THE BOTTOM OF THE PANEL. I USED THAT TO KEEP WINGS LEVEL UNTIL I STARTED BACK TO MY ORIGINAL ARPT. AT THAT TIME I RECYCLED THE VOLTAGE REGULATORS AND MY PWR WAS RESTORED. I LANDED BACK AT AVP SAFELY. I FEEL THAT IF I DID NOT LET THE BATTERY GO BELOW 17 VOLTS, I WOULD HAVE HAD ENOUGH CURRENT TO EXCITE THE ALTERNATORS TO WORK ON THE SECOND VOLTAGE REGULATOR. I FEEL THAT THIS IS WHY IT TOOK TIME FOR THE SECOND REGULATOR TO COME ON LINE. I CLBED TO 7000 FT MSL BECAUSE I WAS IN TERRAIN WITH HILLS (APPROX 3000 FT MSL). BEING IN IMC AND NOT HAVING AN ATTITUDE INDICATOR MOMENTARILY WAS MY JUDGEMENT TO MAKE THE CLB WITHOUT IMMEDIATE CLRNC. WHEN PWR WAS RESTORED THE ATC CTLR CLRED ME TO 7000 FT MSL.
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.