A C182 over mbw diverted to lar after loss of all electrical power without radios.

Attributes
ACN	425659
Time
Date	199901
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mbw airport : lar
State Reference	WY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	425659
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Night flight from goodland, ks (gld), to saratoga, wy (saa). Lost electrical power north of laramie, wy (lar), at the medicine bow (mbw) VOR. Returned to lar and landed lights out and NORDO without incident. Subsequent inspection revealed brushes in generator were worn out. A review of the logs for this aircraft show no indication the generator was ever svced. Will be more vigilant in the future as to the status of the generator. Subsequent discussions with other pilots reveal that this is not an unusual problem. Could maybe use more pilot awareness training to prevent recurrence.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C182 OVER MBW DIVERTED TO LAR AFTER LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL PWR WITHOUT RADIOS.

Narrative: NIGHT FLT FROM GOODLAND, KS (GLD), TO SARATOGA, WY (SAA). LOST ELECTRICAL PWR N OF LARAMIE, WY (LAR), AT THE MEDICINE BOW (MBW) VOR. RETURNED TO LAR AND LANDED LIGHTS OUT AND NORDO WITHOUT INCIDENT. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED BRUSHES IN GENERATOR WERE WORN OUT. A REVIEW OF THE LOGS FOR THIS ACFT SHOW NO INDICATION THE GENERATOR WAS EVER SVCED. WILL BE MORE VIGILANT IN THE FUTURE AS TO THE STATUS OF THE GENERATOR. SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER PLTS REVEAL THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL PROB. COULD MAYBE USE MORE PLT AWARENESS TRAINING TO PREVENT RECURRENCE.

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.