C210 pilot has electrical failure and lands at en route class D airport thinking it is uncontrolled.

Attributes
ACN	453485
Time
Date	199910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tki.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : d10.tracon tower : tki.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 210 Centurion / Turbo Centurion 210C, 210D
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 14000
ASRS Report	453485
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : landing without clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Returning to addison, tx, airport after test flight. In contact with dfw TRACON. Noticed lights flickering on instrument panel. Checked ammeter, discharging. Lowered gear and battery ran out just after gear extension. Now NORDO. Removed handheld VHF transceiver from flight bag and attempted contact. Unsuccessful. Tried to find transceiver accessories to put antenna in windshield and couldn't locate them. Decided to land at mckinney, tx, airport, which had just passed over. While trying to locate radio accessories, I pushed sectional charts out of reach but was not concerned, as I thought mckinney airport was uncontrolled. Landed there and found out it is controled.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C210 PLT HAS ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND LANDS AT ENRTE CLASS D ARPT THINKING IT IS UNCTLED.

Narrative: RETURNING TO ADDISON, TX, ARPT AFTER TEST FLT. IN CONTACT WITH DFW TRACON. NOTICED LIGHTS FLICKERING ON INST PANEL. CHKED AMMETER, DISCHARGING. LOWERED GEAR AND BATTERY RAN OUT JUST AFTER GEAR EXTENSION. NOW NORDO. REMOVED HANDHELD VHF TRANSCEIVER FROM FLT BAG AND ATTEMPTED CONTACT. UNSUCCESSFUL. TRIED TO FIND TRANSCEIVER ACCESSORIES TO PUT ANTENNA IN WINDSHIELD AND COULDN'T LOCATE THEM. DECIDED TO LAND AT MCKINNEY, TX, ARPT, WHICH HAD JUST PASSED OVER. WHILE TRYING TO LOCATE RADIO ACCESSORIES, I PUSHED SECTIONAL CHARTS OUT OF REACH BUT WAS NOT CONCERNED, AS I THOUGHT MCKINNEY ARPT WAS UNCTLED. LANDED THERE AND FOUND OUT IT IS CTLED.

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.