C210 departed chs IFR in IMC conditions. At 400 ft AGL had complete failure of electrical system. Ab...

Attributes
ACN	356865
Time
Date	199612
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : chs
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : chs
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1750 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	356865
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Immediately after takeoff (approximately 400 ft AGL) total electrical system failed resulting in loss of 2-WAY communication, VOR, LORAN, ADF and all electronic instruments. Aircraft was in IMC at the time of failure. Continued climb using vacuum- operated artificial horizon, airspeed indicator and altimeter and achieved VMC at approximately 1000 ft AGL. Continued climb to 2000 ft MSL and flew 2 mins on 270 degree heading. Established holding pattern and went through electrical system failure checklist per poh. After approximately 1 hour, idented 2 radio towers protruding above overcast approximately 5 mi southeast of chs. Held at those towers at 2000 ft MSL for approximately 30 mins to maintain orientation. Pilot noticed breaks in overcast in vicinity of 8s5. Attempted 2 visual approachs to 8s5 but was unable to make visual contact with airport while VFR. Then climbed to 3000 ft MSL and held at 2 radio towers (2000 ft) north of 8s5. Then noticed clear WX toward northeast. Flew VFR and landed at gge. Pilot called FSS and canceled IFR flight plan and spoke with chs ATC and advised failure of communication and navigation. Inspection by a&east revealed weak battery. Activation of gear-up mechanism (25 amp) caused alternator to stop. Weak battery had insufficient reserve to reactivate alternator.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 DEPARTED CHS IFR IN IMC CONDITIONS. AT 400 FT AGL HAD COMPLETE FAILURE OF ELECTRICAL SYS. ABLE TO CLB VIA VACUUM INST TO VFR CONDITIONS AND AFTER SOME TIME FOUND VFR CONDITIONS TO LAND AT GGE. CALLED ATC AND ADVISED OF THE PROB. FOUND BATTERY WEAK PREVENTING REACTIVATION OF THE ALTERNATOR AFTER GEAR RETRACTION.

Narrative: IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF (APPROX 400 FT AGL) TOTAL ELECTRICAL SYS FAILED RESULTING IN LOSS OF 2-WAY COM, VOR, LORAN, ADF AND ALL ELECTRONIC INSTS. ACFT WAS IN IMC AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. CONTINUED CLB USING VACUUM- OPERATED ARTIFICIAL HORIZON, AIRSPD INDICATOR AND ALTIMETER AND ACHIEVED VMC AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL. CONTINUED CLB TO 2000 FT MSL AND FLEW 2 MINS ON 270 DEG HDG. ESTABLISHED HOLDING PATTERN AND WENT THROUGH ELECTRICAL SYS FAILURE CHKLIST PER POH. AFTER APPROX 1 HR, IDENTED 2 RADIO TWRS PROTRUDING ABOVE OVCST APPROX 5 MI SE OF CHS. HELD AT THOSE TWRS AT 2000 FT MSL FOR APPROX 30 MINS TO MAINTAIN ORIENTATION. PLT NOTICED BREAKS IN OVCST IN VICINITY OF 8S5. ATTEMPTED 2 VISUAL APCHS TO 8S5 BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE VISUAL CONTACT WITH ARPT WHILE VFR. THEN CLBED TO 3000 FT MSL AND HELD AT 2 RADIO TWRS (2000 FT) N OF 8S5. THEN NOTICED CLR WX TOWARD NE. FLEW VFR AND LANDED AT GGE. PLT CALLED FSS AND CANCELED IFR FLT PLAN AND SPOKE WITH CHS ATC AND ADVISED FAILURE OF COM AND NAV. INSPECTION BY A&E REVEALED WEAK BATTERY. ACTIVATION OF GEAR-UP MECHANISM (25 AMP) CAUSED ALTERNATOR TO STOP. WEAK BATTERY HAD INSUFFICIENT RESERVE TO REACTIVATE ALTERNATOR.

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.