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C206 on IFR flight plan in IMC has total electrical failure just after breaking out of the clouds. Sights an airport below and descends to land. Receives light signals. When on the ground requested to contact approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 354369 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199611 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mdt |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 310 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : har tower : har |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna Stationair/Turbo Stationair 6 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 6 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 63 |
| ASRS Report | 354369 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
I was on my first solo flight in actual IMC with my husband and young daughter as passenger and 3 pies as cargo. I was struggling to maintain course and altitude, so I was happy to break out of the clouds while descending near harrisburg. Harrisburg approach asked me to cycle my transponder. As I reached for it, the whole electrical panel went blank. I set the transponder to 7600 and tried to contact harrisburg on my hand-held radio, but was unsuccessful. Harrisburg international was right below me, so I decided to land and troubleshoot the problem there. I announced my intentions (with no response), crossed the runway entering a left downwind for runway 13 and landed. I had no response from the tower or ground control except light signals. When I didn't know which way to taxi, they sent a vehicle out for me to follow. The tower asked me to call, which I did. It was a complete loss of electrical power. Harrisburg approach said it was ok to move the airplane to lancaster friday to be fixed.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C206 ON IFR FLT PLAN IN IMC HAS TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE JUST AFTER BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS. SIGHTS AN ARPT BELOW AND DSNDS TO LAND. RECEIVES LIGHT SIGNALS. WHEN ON THE GND REQUESTED TO CONTACT APCH.
Narrative: I WAS ON MY FIRST SOLO FLT IN ACTUAL IMC WITH MY HUSBAND AND YOUNG DAUGHTER AS PAX AND 3 PIES AS CARGO. I WAS STRUGGLING TO MAINTAIN COURSE AND ALT, SO I WAS HAPPY TO BREAK OUT OF THE CLOUDS WHILE DSNDING NEAR HARRISBURG. HARRISBURG APCH ASKED ME TO CYCLE MY XPONDER. AS I REACHED FOR IT, THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL PANEL WENT BLANK. I SET THE XPONDER TO 7600 AND TRIED TO CONTACT HARRISBURG ON MY HAND-HELD RADIO, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HARRISBURG INTL WAS RIGHT BELOW ME, SO I DECIDED TO LAND AND TROUBLESHOOT THE PROB THERE. I ANNOUNCED MY INTENTIONS (WITH NO RESPONSE), CROSSED THE RWY ENTERING A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 13 AND LANDED. I HAD NO RESPONSE FROM THE TWR OR GND CTL EXCEPT LIGHT SIGNALS. WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW WHICH WAY TO TAXI, THEY SENT A VEHICLE OUT FOR ME TO FOLLOW. THE TWR ASKED ME TO CALL, WHICH I DID. IT WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR. HARRISBURG APCH SAID IT WAS OK TO MOVE THE AIRPLANE TO LANCASTER FRIDAY TO BE FIXED.
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.