C152 pilot has total electric failure and diverts to pah.

Attributes
ACN	591090
Time
Date	200308
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : cng.vortac
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pah.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 150 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	591090
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel gauges other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Problem electrical failure. Flight planned from dickson, tn (M02) to scott-mid america (blv). WX not a factor (no ceiling. Slight haze, calm winds). Takeoff uneventful and first hour of flight normal, fuel gauges read about 3/4 tank. I checked fuel level and secured caps on preflight. Gradually, both tanks read down to half, then down to 1/4 full in about 15-20 min period. I decided to divert to paducah. I then started to try to call tower. No response. Gas gauges now read near zero (both of them). I tried to reach tower, then ground, then used guard frequency but no response on any frequency. I squawked 7600. With both gas needles at 'east' and touching red line, I decided to land. I overflew field and rocked wings and looked for light signals. I didn't see any, but decided to land anyway. Landing was uneventful. Fuel service showed tanks over half full (it took about 10 gals in a 24 gal tank). Attempts to restart engine after fuel servicing failed. There was not enough battery power to start engine. So, electrical failure led to communication out situation and false indications of no fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 PLT HAS TOTAL ELECTRIC FAILURE AND DIVERTS TO PAH.

Narrative: PROB ELECTRICAL FAILURE. FLT PLANNED FROM DICKSON, TN (M02) TO SCOTT-MID AMERICA (BLV). WX NOT A FACTOR (NO CEILING. SLIGHT HAZE, CALM WINDS). TKOF UNEVENTFUL AND FIRST HR OF FLT NORMAL, FUEL GAUGES READ ABOUT 3/4 TANK. I CHKED FUEL LEVEL AND SECURED CAPS ON PREFLT. GRADUALLY, BOTH TANKS READ DOWN TO HALF, THEN DOWN TO 1/4 FULL IN ABOUT 15-20 MIN PERIOD. I DECIDED TO DIVERT TO PADUCAH. I THEN STARTED TO TRY TO CALL TWR. NO RESPONSE. GAS GAUGES NOW READ NEAR ZERO (BOTH OF THEM). I TRIED TO REACH TWR, THEN GND, THEN USED GUARD FREQ BUT NO RESPONSE ON ANY FREQ. I SQUAWKED 7600. WITH BOTH GAS NEEDLES AT 'E' AND TOUCHING RED LINE, I DECIDED TO LAND. I OVERFLEW FIELD AND ROCKED WINGS AND LOOKED FOR LIGHT SIGNALS. I DIDN'T SEE ANY, BUT DECIDED TO LAND ANYWAY. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. FUEL SVC SHOWED TANKS OVER HALF FULL (IT TOOK ABOUT 10 GALS IN A 24 GAL TANK). ATTEMPTS TO RESTART ENG AFTER FUEL SVCING FAILED. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH BATTERY PWR TO START ENG. SO, ELECTRICAL FAILURE LED TO COM OUT SIT AND FALSE INDICATIONS OF NO FUEL.

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.