Sct controller expressed concern regarding flight crew behavior during radio equipment problems.

Attributes
ACN	583289
Time
Date	200306
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sli.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-44 Seminole Turbo Seminole
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 13 controller time certified in position1 : 7 flight time total : 65
ASRS Report	583289
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The PA44 was en route on his own navigation, approximately 15 mi into an IFR training flight from lgb to ral when I observed the transponder change to hijack. I asked the pilot to verify squawking the hijack code and he only responded 'affirmative.' my supervisor immediately notified the operations manager and the appropriate auths started to be notified. Shortly thereafter, the pilot stated that he had experienced a complete electrical failure. We called off the F18's and tried to assist the pilot and get his intentions, but were unable to reestablish radio contact. The mode C failed, the aircraft started to deviate from his route of flight. There was some concern as the aircraft was overflying the tfr over disneyland, but we felt certain that the pilot was mistakenly squawking the hijack code instead of the lost radio code. The aircraft was eventually able to regain radio communication and continued to his destination airport. When the pilot (instructor) called the facility, he explained that the student had mistakenly turned off the alternator prior to takeoff. When he lost electrical power, the student then mistakenly squawked the wrong transponder code. The pilot walked away with a hand slap. I walked away with a few more grey hairs! I believe an incident as critical as this needs to be addressed more seriously. Had the pilot not been able to communicate his electrical problem to ATC, he very well could have been intercepted due to the erroneous transponder code, turn off route of flight, our loss of mode C, and his proximity to a tfr in war time. The instructor should have, at the very least, been made to fill out his own NASA report!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCT CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING FLT CREW BEHAVIOR DURING RADIO EQUIP PROBS.

Narrative: THE PA44 WAS ENRTE ON HIS OWN NAV, APPROX 15 MI INTO AN IFR TRAINING FLT FROM LGB TO RAL WHEN I OBSERVED THE XPONDER CHANGE TO HIJACK. I ASKED THE PLT TO VERIFY SQUAWKING THE HIJACK CODE AND HE ONLY RESPONDED 'AFFIRMATIVE.' MY SUPVR IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE OPS MGR AND THE APPROPRIATE AUTHS STARTED TO BE NOTIFIED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. WE CALLED OFF THE F18'S AND TRIED TO ASSIST THE PLT AND GET HIS INTENTIONS, BUT WERE UNABLE TO REESTABLISH RADIO CONTACT. THE MODE C FAILED, THE ACFT STARTED TO DEVIATE FROM HIS RTE OF FLT. THERE WAS SOME CONCERN AS THE ACFT WAS OVERFLYING THE TFR OVER DISNEYLAND, BUT WE FELT CERTAIN THAT THE PLT WAS MISTAKENLY SQUAWKING THE HIJACK CODE INSTEAD OF THE LOST RADIO CODE. THE ACFT WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO REGAIN RADIO COM AND CONTINUED TO HIS DEST ARPT. WHEN THE PLT (INSTRUCTOR) CALLED THE FACILITY, HE EXPLAINED THAT THE STUDENT HAD MISTAKENLY TURNED OFF THE ALTERNATOR PRIOR TO TKOF. WHEN HE LOST ELECTRICAL PWR, THE STUDENT THEN MISTAKENLY SQUAWKED THE WRONG XPONDER CODE. THE PLT WALKED AWAY WITH A HAND SLAP. I WALKED AWAY WITH A FEW MORE GREY HAIRS! I BELIEVE AN INCIDENT AS CRITICAL AS THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED MORE SERIOUSLY. HAD THE PLT NOT BEEN ABLE TO COMMUNICATE HIS ELECTRICAL PROB TO ATC, HE VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN INTERCEPTED DUE TO THE ERRONEOUS XPONDER CODE, TURN OFF RTE OF FLT, OUR LOSS OF MODE C, AND HIS PROX TO A TFR IN WAR TIME. THE INSTRUCTOR SHOULD HAVE, AT THE VERY LEAST, BEEN MADE TO FILL OUT HIS OWN NASA RPT!

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.