Narrative:

I am a pilot for a parachute operation. Today we were to make a jump, and I had personally informed the supervisor at the tower of our intentions. I contacted clearance delivery before engine start, then attempted to start the engine. It was very slow to turn over, which was not typical for this aircraft, especially since it had just been flown in. The second attempt succeeded and I contacted tower for taxi instructions. We were cleared for takeoff and I reported over our jump site climbing to 2500 ft, as I had told the supervisor and clearance delivery the jump would be made from 4000 ft. As I continued the climb to 4000 ft, I experienced a total electrical failure. I attempted to contact the tower with a cellular phone, but was unable to tell if they could hear my intentions. We also had a 2-WAY radio for contact with ground support personnel, so I relayed the message to pass on to the tower via their cellular phone. Since our plan was to make the jump, we proceeded and I then departed to an uncontrolled airport. Although I know cellular phone use has saved many pilots, it had not occurred to me that I would be completly unable to hear in the aircraft. I was told later that personnel in the tower could hear me and understood my intentions, but for others who may be planning to use a phone in an emergency, a single engine airplane is a far noisier environment than we may expect.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A C182 PARACHUTE JUMP ACFT LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR JUST PRIOR TO RELEASING JUMPERS RESULTING IN USING A CELLULAR PHONE TO CONTACT TWR FOR POS RPTING. LOST COM DUE TO TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. HOWEVER, RPTR DIVERTED TO AN UNCTLED ARPT BECAUSE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR BACK FROM TWR DUE TO ACFT NOISE.

Narrative: I AM A PLT FOR A PARACHUTE OP. TODAY WE WERE TO MAKE A JUMP, AND I HAD PERSONALLY INFORMED THE SUPVR AT THE TWR OF OUR INTENTIONS. I CONTACTED CLRNC DELIVERY BEFORE ENG START, THEN ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENG. IT WAS VERY SLOW TO TURN OVER, WHICH WAS NOT TYPICAL FOR THIS ACFT, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT HAD JUST BEEN FLOWN IN. THE SECOND ATTEMPT SUCCEEDED AND I CONTACTED TWR FOR TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND I RPTED OVER OUR JUMP SITE CLBING TO 2500 FT, AS I HAD TOLD THE SUPVR AND CLRNC DELIVERY THE JUMP WOULD BE MADE FROM 4000 FT. AS I CONTINUED THE CLB TO 4000 FT, I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE TWR WITH A CELLULAR PHONE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO TELL IF THEY COULD HEAR MY INTENTIONS. WE ALSO HAD A 2-WAY RADIO FOR CONTACT WITH GND SUPPORT PERSONNEL, SO I RELAYED THE MESSAGE TO PASS ON TO THE TWR VIA THEIR CELLULAR PHONE. SINCE OUR PLAN WAS TO MAKE THE JUMP, WE PROCEEDED AND I THEN DEPARTED TO AN UNCTLED ARPT. ALTHOUGH I KNOW CELLULAR PHONE USE HAS SAVED MANY PLTS, IT HAD NOT OCCURRED TO ME THAT I WOULD BE COMPLETLY UNABLE TO HEAR IN THE ACFT. I WAS TOLD LATER THAT PERSONNEL IN THE TWR COULD HEAR ME AND UNDERSTOOD MY INTENTIONS, BUT FOR OTHERS WHO MAY BE PLANNING TO USE A PHONE IN AN EMER, A SINGLE ENG AIRPLANE IS A FAR NOISIER ENVIRONMENT THAN WE MAY EXPECT.

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.