A C172 CFI pilot lands without electrical power after diverting to crg, fl.

Attributes
ACN	509443
Time
Date	200104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : crg.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : jax.tracon tower : crg.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 475 flight time type : 460
ASRS Report	509443
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : circ bkr other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Alternator circuit breaker popped. After 2 min cooling period, breaker was reset. Battery indicated charge (on ammeter). 30 seconds later, alternator went off-line. Cycled master switch, but low voltage light remained on. Very strong electrical burn smell. All electrical was immediately turned off. Direct crg, we could see through holes in clouds below. Approximately 3 mi southeast of crg, we turned on 1 radio long enough to say we were landing full stop. We didn't contact crg tower until 2000 ft because of maintaining VFR cloud clearance requirements. Contributing factors were a practically overcast layer, and no electrical power for navigation or communication. Human performance was good. Emergency checklists were completed and no damage done to aircraft/persons/property in response to situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 CFI PLT LANDS WITHOUT ELECTRICAL PWR AFTER DIVERTING TO CRG, FL.

Narrative: ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED. AFTER 2 MIN COOLING PERIOD, BREAKER WAS RESET. BATTERY INDICATED CHARGE (ON AMMETER). 30 SECONDS LATER, ALTERNATOR WENT OFF-LINE. CYCLED MASTER SWITCH, BUT LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT REMAINED ON. VERY STRONG ELECTRICAL BURN SMELL. ALL ELECTRICAL WAS IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF. DIRECT CRG, WE COULD SEE THROUGH HOLES IN CLOUDS BELOW. APPROX 3 MI SE OF CRG, WE TURNED ON 1 RADIO LONG ENOUGH TO SAY WE WERE LNDG FULL STOP. WE DIDN'T CONTACT CRG TWR UNTIL 2000 FT BECAUSE OF MAINTAINING VFR CLOUD CLRNC REQUIREMENTS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE A PRACTICALLY OVCST LAYER, AND NO ELECTRICAL PWR FOR NAV OR COM. HUMAN PERFORMANCE WAS GOOD. EMER CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED AND NO DAMAGE DONE TO ACFT/PERSONS/PROPERTY IN RESPONSE TO SIT.

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.