<< >> NASA ASRS Report 378965, August 1997

On IFR flight plan, a C172 has a broken ground wire from the alternator, causing electrical failure. Pilot IMC descends through hole in clouds to return to land at departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	378965
Time
Date	199708
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewo airport : sdf
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sdf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	378965
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

IFR flight plan from lou to hsv. While at cruise at 6000 ft, had a total electrical failure, could not remedy. Squawked 7600 and made a 180 degree return (descent to 5000 ft) to louisville. Attempted contact with louisville and relay with other aircraft. No response. Was in VMC, above a solid overcast. Decided to proceed back to louisville due to better WX, hsv forecast 1-3 mi mist and 1200 ft broken, louisville much better (MVFR), and noticed it was breaking up (the ceiling) on climb out. After finding a break in the overcast, descended through, found I65 and followed north toward louisville, en route transited class C airspace at standiford (sdf). Landing was uneventful. Postflt by miami, found broken alternator ground wire.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON IFR FLT PLAN, A C172 HAS A BROKEN GND WIRE FROM THE ALTERNATOR, CAUSING ELECTRICAL FAILURE. PLT IMC DSNDS THROUGH HOLE IN CLOUDS TO RETURN TO LAND AT DEP ARPT.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN FROM LOU TO HSV. WHILE AT CRUISE AT 6000 FT, HAD A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE, COULD NOT REMEDY. SQUAWKED 7600 AND MADE A 180 DEG RETURN (DSCNT TO 5000 FT) TO LOUISVILLE. ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH LOUISVILLE AND RELAY WITH OTHER ACFT. NO RESPONSE. WAS IN VMC, ABOVE A SOLID OVCST. DECIDED TO PROCEED BACK TO LOUISVILLE DUE TO BETTER WX, HSV FORECAST 1-3 MI MIST AND 1200 FT BROKEN, LOUISVILLE MUCH BETTER (MVFR), AND NOTICED IT WAS BREAKING UP (THE CEILING) ON CLBOUT. AFTER FINDING A BREAK IN THE OVCST, DSNDED THROUGH, FOUND I65 AND FOLLOWED N TOWARD LOUISVILLE, ENRTE TRANSITED CLASS C AIRSPACE AT STANDIFORD (SDF). LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. POSTFLT BY MIAMI, FOUND BROKEN ALTERNATOR GND WIRE.

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.