Narrative:

At approximately XA00 hours local at 19 mi southeast of ffz, I noticed that the transponder light was no longer blinking. Getting no light when using the test function, I realized it was inoperative. At 10 mi from ffz (per my handheld GPS) I made the initial call to falcon tower. When asked to identify, my response was that the transponder had just stopped working. The controller told me to enter a right downwind for runway 4. He also commented on the poor quality of the radio transmission. Since the radio has always been very clear I suspected I might be having electrical or radio problems so I turned on my handheld radio and set the tower frequency. When departing ffz a few mins later I requested a northeast departure and was cleared for a straight out departure. After liftoff, the radio displays went dark. It was a total electrical failure. At 2.7 mi (per the handheld GPS) the tower said to identify and I responded that the transponder had stopped working a few mins ago. His response was 'frequency changed approved, I'm tired of talking to you.' it wasn't till later that I realized he wasn't just being rude, he thought I was lying about the transponder. At 4.5 mi I turned to a northwest heading and departed the area. The ammeter never did show a discharge. I tell my students to confess problems to ATC without fail, yet I did not. Even though there never was an ammeter indication hinting of electrical problems, I suspected it and should have informed falcon ATC of those suspicions. By doing so, the controller could have been of assistance. The flight to dvt was uneventful and the route taken was well clear, but under class B airspace. The lesson to be learned here, is that ATC is there to control as well as to assist. Relatively high time pilots need to be reminded that confession, in like circumstances, is the correct thing to do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HAD A GENERATOR MALFUNCTION NEAR FFZ.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA00 HRS LCL AT 19 MI SE OF FFZ, I NOTICED THAT THE XPONDER LIGHT WAS NO LONGER BLINKING. GETTING NO LIGHT WHEN USING THE TEST FUNCTION, I REALIZED IT WAS INOP. AT 10 MI FROM FFZ (PER MY HANDHELD GPS) I MADE THE INITIAL CALL TO FALCON TWR. WHEN ASKED TO IDENT, MY RESPONSE WAS THAT THE XPONDER HAD JUST STOPPED WORKING. THE CTLR TOLD ME TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 4. HE ALSO COMMENTED ON THE POOR QUALITY OF THE RADIO XMISSION. SINCE THE RADIO HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY CLR I SUSPECTED I MIGHT BE HAVING ELECTRICAL OR RADIO PROBS SO I TURNED ON MY HANDHELD RADIO AND SET THE TWR FREQ. WHEN DEPARTING FFZ A FEW MINS LATER I REQUESTED A NE DEP AND WAS CLRED FOR A STRAIGHT OUT DEP. AFTER LIFTOFF, THE RADIO DISPLAYS WENT DARK. IT WAS A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. AT 2.7 MI (PER THE HANDHELD GPS) THE TWR SAID TO IDENT AND I RESPONDED THAT THE XPONDER HAD STOPPED WORKING A FEW MINS AGO. HIS RESPONSE WAS 'FREQ CHANGED APPROVED, I'M TIRED OF TALKING TO YOU.' IT WASN'T TILL LATER THAT I REALIZED HE WASN'T JUST BEING RUDE, HE THOUGHT I WAS LYING ABOUT THE XPONDER. AT 4.5 MI I TURNED TO A NW HEADING AND DEPARTED THE AREA. THE AMMETER NEVER DID SHOW A DISCHARGE. I TELL MY STUDENTS TO CONFESS PROBS TO ATC WITHOUT FAIL, YET I DID NOT. EVEN THOUGH THERE NEVER WAS AN AMMETER INDICATION HINTING OF ELECTRICAL PROBS, I SUSPECTED IT AND SHOULD HAVE INFORMED FALCON ATC OF THOSE SUSPICIONS. BY DOING SO, THE CTLR COULD HAVE BEEN OF ASSISTANCE. THE FLT TO DVT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE RTE TAKEN WAS WELL CLR, BUT UNDER CLASS B AIRSPACE. THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED HERE, IS THAT ATC IS THERE TO CTL AS WELL AS TO ASSIST. RELATIVELY HIGH TIME PLTS NEED TO BE REMINDED THAT CONFESSION, IN LIKE CIRCUMSTANCES, IS THE CORRECT THING TO DO.

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.