Pilot of an sel small aircraft lost all electrical during climb in IMC under an IFR flight plan. Rep...

Attributes
ACN	414330
Time
Date	199809
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfl
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Route In Use	enroute airway : alb
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 810 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	414330
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other

Narrative:

Was en route from schroon lake, ny (RB7), to gaithersburg, md (gai), about 10 mins after 'opening' my IFR flight plan with alb approach just before passing glens falls, ny (gfl). (There are no phones or rco's at schroon lake.) I was cleared 'as filed' to 8000 ft from my VFR altitude of approximately 2500 ft. I experienced a total electrical failure in IMC at about 4500 ft, while still climbing. I pulled out my hand-held navcom, with my headset adapter and after momentarily considering compliance with far 91.185, decided not to. I'd just flown over gfl, knew it was approximately 2500 ft overcast, and had a radial right to it and it was only 10-15 mi behind me. I had my family in with me, home was 350 mi away, my batteries might not (probably would not) last that long, and there was convective activity likely to cross my path near nyc that I might blunder into incommunicado! I made a descent to gfl (knew it was without mountains for several mi) and landed and had repairs made. There's a far for radio failure, but there ought to be one for total electrical failure! I think I made the right choice, FARS notwithstanding.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SEL SMA LOST ALL ELECTRICAL DURING CLB IN IMC UNDER AN IFR FLT PLAN. RPTR USED A HAND-HELD NAVCOM RADIO TO TURN AROUND AND DSND TO A NEARBY VFR ARPT WHICH HE JUST FLEW OVER AFTER PICKING UP HIS IFR CLRNC.

Narrative: WAS ENRTE FROM SCHROON LAKE, NY (RB7), TO GAITHERSBURG, MD (GAI), ABOUT 10 MINS AFTER 'OPENING' MY IFR FLT PLAN WITH ALB APCH JUST BEFORE PASSING GLENS FALLS, NY (GFL). (THERE ARE NO PHONES OR RCO'S AT SCHROON LAKE.) I WAS CLRED 'AS FILED' TO 8000 FT FROM MY VFR ALT OF APPROX 2500 FT. I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN IMC AT ABOUT 4500 FT, WHILE STILL CLBING. I PULLED OUT MY HAND-HELD NAVCOM, WITH MY HEADSET ADAPTER AND AFTER MOMENTARILY CONSIDERING COMPLIANCE WITH FAR 91.185, DECIDED NOT TO. I'D JUST FLOWN OVER GFL, KNEW IT WAS APPROX 2500 FT OVCST, AND HAD A RADIAL RIGHT TO IT AND IT WAS ONLY 10-15 MI BEHIND ME. I HAD MY FAMILY IN WITH ME, HOME WAS 350 MI AWAY, MY BATTERIES MIGHT NOT (PROBABLY WOULD NOT) LAST THAT LONG, AND THERE WAS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY LIKELY TO CROSS MY PATH NEAR NYC THAT I MIGHT BLUNDER INTO INCOMMUNICADO! I MADE A DSCNT TO GFL (KNEW IT WAS WITHOUT MOUNTAINS FOR SEVERAL MI) AND LANDED AND HAD REPAIRS MADE. THERE'S A FAR FOR RADIO FAILURE, BUT THERE OUGHT TO BE ONE FOR TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE! I THINK I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE, FARS NOTWITHSTANDING.

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.

Pilot of an sel small aircraft lost all electrical during climb in IMC under an IFR flight plan. Reporter used a hand-held navcom radio to turn around and descend to a nearby VFR airport which he just flew over after picking up his IFR clearance.