GA pilot experiences electrical failure, lands at psc.

Attributes
ACN	463956
Time
Date	200002
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psc.airport
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : psc.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 36 flight time total : 139 flight time type : 132
ASRS Report	463956
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Myself and another pilot were flying from eln to psc. Our original destination was S95. S95 had a ceiling of 100 ft in fog so we changed to psc. About 15 mi north of psc, our electrics failed and our radios stopped working. I squawked 7600 on my transponder and started watching for possible traffic from psc. About 5 mi north I saw an aircraft depart from what appeared to be runway 30. As we approached the tower from the north, we tried to alert the tower by flashing our lights that probably were not working at that point. In spite of our attempts to notify the tower, we received no light gun signals of any type. We entered a left downwind for runway 30 while watching for traffic -- none was present. No light guns. We turned left base runway 30, no traffic, no lights, then final, no traffic, no light gun. I landed on runway 30 and took taxiway a to the ramp. My call to the tower on monday revealed that the controller had not seen me land. The reason for the electrics failure was my alternator died. It appears as though the battery lacked enough power for the transponder to work.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT EXPERIENCES ELECTRICAL FAILURE, LANDS AT PSC.

Narrative: MYSELF AND ANOTHER PLT WERE FLYING FROM ELN TO PSC. OUR ORIGINAL DEST WAS S95. S95 HAD A CEILING OF 100 FT IN FOG SO WE CHANGED TO PSC. ABOUT 15 MI N OF PSC, OUR ELECTRICS FAILED AND OUR RADIOS STOPPED WORKING. I SQUAWKED 7600 ON MY XPONDER AND STARTED WATCHING FOR POSSIBLE TFC FROM PSC. ABOUT 5 MI N I SAW AN ACFT DEPART FROM WHAT APPEARED TO BE RWY 30. AS WE APCHED THE TWR FROM THE N, WE TRIED TO ALERT THE TWR BY FLASHING OUR LIGHTS THAT PROBABLY WERE NOT WORKING AT THAT POINT. IN SPITE OF OUR ATTEMPTS TO NOTIFY THE TWR, WE RECEIVED NO LIGHT GUN SIGNALS OF ANY TYPE. WE ENTERED A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 30 WHILE WATCHING FOR TFC -- NONE WAS PRESENT. NO LIGHT GUNS. WE TURNED L BASE RWY 30, NO TFC, NO LIGHTS, THEN FINAL, NO TFC, NO LIGHT GUN. I LANDED ON RWY 30 AND TOOK TXWY A TO THE RAMP. MY CALL TO THE TWR ON MONDAY REVEALED THAT THE CTLR HAD NOT SEEN ME LAND. THE REASON FOR THE ELECTRICS FAILURE WAS MY ALTERNATOR DIED. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THE BATTERY LACKED ENOUGH PWR FOR THE XPONDER TO WORK.

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.