Pilot of an experimental aircraft lost radio contact with tower due to complete electrical failure resulting in an emergency landing without clearance. The reporting pilot did look for tower light signals, but none were observed.

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Attributes
ACN	515944
Time
Date	200106
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jln.airport
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Experimental
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	515944
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical incursion : landing without clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : voltage meter other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Flying experimental single engine turboprop aircraft at 10500 ft MSL over joplin airport. Electrical surges with loss of radios, avionics, all instrumentation and within less than 1 min voltage decreased to 6.4 volts. Immediately declared emergency on 119.8 tower frequency assuming an electrical shortage with high risk of an electrical fire. Surging of power due to only intermittent function of fuel boost pumps. Shut down of electrical system. N1 idle set to low to be without boost pump. Setting up approach for possible engine off landing/glide path. No light gun seen from tower. 1 other single engine aircraft in pattern but slow and far out. Therefore, I landed without clearance from tower. Corrective actions: 1) N1 idle adjusted with boost pumps off. 2) electrical system repaired. 3) discussed future possible emergency scenarios with tower personnel. 4) discussed with tower chief visual angles and localizer parameters for the tower to see me better in case of another similar emergency.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL ACFT LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH TWR DUE TO COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE RESULTING IN AN EMER LNDG WITHOUT CLRNC. THE RPTING PLT DID LOOK FOR TWR LIGHT SIGNALS, BUT NONE WERE OBSERVED.

Narrative: FLYING EXPERIMENTAL SINGLE ENG TURBOPROP ACFT AT 10500 FT MSL OVER JOPLIN ARPT. ELECTRICAL SURGES WITH LOSS OF RADIOS, AVIONICS, ALL INSTRUMENTATION AND WITHIN LESS THAN 1 MIN VOLTAGE DECREASED TO 6.4 VOLTS. IMMEDIATELY DECLARED EMER ON 119.8 TWR FREQ ASSUMING AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE WITH HIGH RISK OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. SURGING OF PWR DUE TO ONLY INTERMITTENT FUNCTION OF FUEL BOOST PUMPS. SHUT DOWN OF ELECTRICAL SYS. N1 IDLE SET TO LOW TO BE WITHOUT BOOST PUMP. SETTING UP APCH FOR POSSIBLE ENG OFF LNDG/GLIDE PATH. NO LIGHT GUN SEEN FROM TWR. 1 OTHER SINGLE ENG ACFT IN PATTERN BUT SLOW AND FAR OUT. THEREFORE, I LANDED WITHOUT CLRNC FROM TWR. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: 1) N1 IDLE ADJUSTED WITH BOOST PUMPS OFF. 2) ELECTRICAL SYS REPAIRED. 3) DISCUSSED FUTURE POSSIBLE EMER SCENARIOS WITH TWR PERSONNEL. 4) DISCUSSED WITH TWR CHIEF VISUAL ANGLES AND LOC PARAMETERS FOR THE TWR TO SEE ME BETTER IN CASE OF ANOTHER SIMILAR EMER.

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.