A fixed wing small aircraft in cruise and low on fuel lost all electrical power and diverted to a co...

Attributes
ACN	375381
Time
Date	199707
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cma
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cma
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 800
ASRS Report	375381
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On trip to santa ynez with planned fuel stop at santa barbara, fuel gauges were showing almost empty at about the same time I lost all electric to radios, etc. I saw camarillo airport not knowing how much fuel I had left. I made a downwind and right base approach to runway 26R behind a twin and landed. After landing I started to look for an FBO to find what our problem was. I was then stopped by a security officer and a lady. They wanted to know why I did not talk to the tower. I replied I did not have any radio. They said why didn't I fly past the tower and wobble my wings. Not knowing my fuel situation I did not do this and told them why. Made me leave aircraft at FBO to be repaired. I did not have a current third class medical, but I do now. I received it jul/xx/97. I rented a car drove on to santa ynez. In regard to my problem, the mechanic at the FBO says these types of things just happen. It isn't something that to be planned for like routine maintenance. He told me my alternator just quit. Like any alternator system, when the battery is fully charged, indication on ammeter does not show a redline. Then the next thing you don't have any electrics -- it just goes out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FIXED WING SMA IN CRUISE AND LOW ON FUEL LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR AND DIVERTED TO A CTLED ARPT. LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR WAS CAUSED BY ALTERNATOR FAILURE.

Narrative: ON TRIP TO SANTA YNEZ WITH PLANNED FUEL STOP AT SANTA BARBARA, FUEL GAUGES WERE SHOWING ALMOST EMPTY AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME I LOST ALL ELECTRIC TO RADIOS, ETC. I SAW CAMARILLO ARPT NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH FUEL I HAD LEFT. I MADE A DOWNWIND AND R BASE APCH TO RWY 26R BEHIND A TWIN AND LANDED. AFTER LNDG I STARTED TO LOOK FOR AN FBO TO FIND WHAT OUR PROB WAS. I WAS THEN STOPPED BY A SECURITY OFFICER AND A LADY. THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHY I DID NOT TALK TO THE TWR. I REPLIED I DID NOT HAVE ANY RADIO. THEY SAID WHY DIDN'T I FLY PAST THE TWR AND WOBBLE MY WINGS. NOT KNOWING MY FUEL SIT I DID NOT DO THIS AND TOLD THEM WHY. MADE ME LEAVE ACFT AT FBO TO BE REPAIRED. I DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT THIRD CLASS MEDICAL, BUT I DO NOW. I RECEIVED IT JUL/XX/97. I RENTED A CAR DROVE ON TO SANTA YNEZ. IN REGARD TO MY PROB, THE MECH AT THE FBO SAYS THESE TYPES OF THINGS JUST HAPPEN. IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT TO BE PLANNED FOR LIKE ROUTINE MAINT. HE TOLD ME MY ALTERNATOR JUST QUIT. LIKE ANY ALTERNATOR SYS, WHEN THE BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED, INDICATION ON AMMETER DOES NOT SHOW A REDLINE. THEN THE NEXT THING YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ELECTRICS -- IT JUST GOES OUT.

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.

A fixed wing small aircraft in cruise and low on fuel lost all electrical power and diverted to a controled airport. Loss of electrical power was caused by alternator failure.