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A C172 experienced an electrical failure. The pilot used a hand-held radio to declare an emergency and landed at pam.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 435143 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199904 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pam.airport |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl single value : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 450 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 435143 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
At about 35 NM from panama city, jacksonville (119.1) radioed that they had lost my transponder. I reached down to recycle it. Shortly after, the radios started to blink on and off, and we heard a 'grinding' type noise. The engine instruments' needles all went to their left stops. The cht/egt went blank. The carburetor heat gauge, oil temperature gauge, and fuel gauges showed zero readings. I pulled out my hand-held radio and got in touch with jacksonville and declared an emergency. I asked for vectors to the nearest airport. The airport was tyndall AFB and approximately 11 NM at a 260 degree heading. It was very difficult to hear jacksonville on that radio, not to mention at 6000 ft it was very turbulent. I contacted tyndall and was cleared to land runway 31R. An uneventful landing was made. On the ground I was able to determine that I still had approximately 20 gallons of fuel on board which was verified when I topped the tanks off after getting the airplane ferried to panama city. It took 30.2 gallons of fuel (total capacity 54 gallons with 50 usable). The electrical failure was determined to be a bad battery that in turn fried the voltage regulator. Both were replaced.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A C172 EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE PLT USED A HAND-HELD RADIO TO DECLARE AN EMER AND LANDED AT PAM.
Narrative: AT ABOUT 35 NM FROM PANAMA CITY, JACKSONVILLE (119.1) RADIOED THAT THEY HAD LOST MY XPONDER. I REACHED DOWN TO RECYCLE IT. SHORTLY AFTER, THE RADIOS STARTED TO BLINK ON AND OFF, AND WE HEARD A 'GRINDING' TYPE NOISE. THE ENG INSTS' NEEDLES ALL WENT TO THEIR L STOPS. THE CHT/EGT WENT BLANK. THE CARB HEAT GAUGE, OIL TEMP GAUGE, AND FUEL GAUGES SHOWED ZERO READINGS. I PULLED OUT MY HAND-HELD RADIO AND GOT IN TOUCH WITH JACKSONVILLE AND DECLARED AN EMER. I ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT. THE ARPT WAS TYNDALL AFB AND APPROX 11 NM AT A 260 DEG HDG. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO HEAR JACKSONVILLE ON THAT RADIO, NOT TO MENTION AT 6000 FT IT WAS VERY TURBULENT. I CONTACTED TYNDALL AND WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 31R. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE. ON THE GND I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT I STILL HAD APPROX 20 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD WHICH WAS VERIFIED WHEN I TOPPED THE TANKS OFF AFTER GETTING THE AIRPLANE FERRIED TO PANAMA CITY. IT TOOK 30.2 GALLONS OF FUEL (TOTAL CAPACITY 54 GALLONS WITH 50 USABLE). THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A BAD BATTERY THAT IN TURN FRIED THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. BOTH WERE REPLACED.
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.