PA32 pilot on night flight has alternator failure.

Attributes
ACN	359489
Time
Date	199701
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : loa
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : aus tower : aus
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	359489
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On a flight from cdh returning to aus (home base) from a business trip. At 6500 ft MSL under VFR conditions just after sunset, the alternator on my 1979 piper lance stopped charging. Resetting the alternator would cause it to operate for a few seconds then stop. I elected to continue the flight to aus with the master switch off. Illumination of instruments was by flashlight (6 on board), communications via hand-held radio (KX99), and navigation by GPS (garmin 95x1 battery pwred). Battery reserves were adequate to lower the landing gear and operate the landing light while on final. Landing was made without incident. The cause of the alternator failure is currently unknown. Repairs are being made.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PLT ON NIGHT FLT HAS ALTERNATOR FAILURE.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM CDH RETURNING TO AUS (HOME BASE) FROM A BUSINESS TRIP. AT 6500 FT MSL UNDER VFR CONDITIONS JUST AFTER SUNSET, THE ALTERNATOR ON MY 1979 PIPER LANCE STOPPED CHARGING. RESETTING THE ALTERNATOR WOULD CAUSE IT TO OPERATE FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN STOP. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO AUS WITH THE MASTER SWITCH OFF. ILLUMINATION OF INSTS WAS BY FLASHLIGHT (6 ON BOARD), COMS VIA HAND-HELD RADIO (KX99), AND NAV BY GPS (GARMIN 95X1 BATTERY PWRED). BATTERY RESERVES WERE ADEQUATE TO LOWER THE LNDG GEAR AND OPERATE THE LNDG LIGHT WHILE ON FINAL. LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAUSE OF THE ALTERNATOR FAILURE IS CURRENTLY UNKNOWN. REPAIRS ARE BEING MADE.

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.