Narrative:

On instrument flight from lew to hef at 8000 ft in IMC north of lancaster, PA, talking to allentown. Detected loss of electrical power through edm warning and ammeter discharge. Recycled alternator twice without success. Asked for immediate landing. ATC handed off to harrisburg for landing and lancaster (lrp). Shut down unneeded electrical items. Received descent and vectors for lrp ILS runway 8. Lost navigation #1 before intercepting localizer. Also lost electrical HSI/directional gyroscope at that time. With ATC vectors, attempted to set up for VOR 8 at lrp but lost #2 radio before able to execute the approach. Now on partial panel without communications. Had mountains and severe WX to the west and washington dc ADIZ to the south. Determined best option was to fly southeast and attempt a gradual letdown. Broke out of IMC at ceiling of 600-700 ft. After approximately 15 mins, concluded that WX in all directions was worse than where I was and that severe WX was approaching. Had plenty of fuel, but decided only safe option was a precautionary off airfield landing. Selected a narrow road without obstructions but with a landing area of about 1000 ft as the best site. First 2 attempts to land aborted due to automobile traffic in landing area. Third attempt, got the aircraft on the road but, on rollout, the left main gear got onto soft shoulder. This led to the nose gear also on the soft shoulder. Soon thereafter the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded further down the road and came to rest on the opposite side. No injuries to PIC or passenger but repairable damage to nose gear, propeller, engine, and cowling.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C210 PLT, IN IMC, EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSING HIM TO MAKE A EMER LNDG ON A ROAD IN MDT'S AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ON INST FLT FROM LEW TO HEF AT 8000 FT IN IMC N OF LANCASTER, PA, TALKING TO ALLENTOWN. DETECTED LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR THROUGH EDM WARNING AND AMMETER DISCHARGE. RECYCLED ALTERNATOR TWICE WITHOUT SUCCESS. ASKED FOR IMMEDIATE LNDG. ATC HANDED OFF TO HARRISBURG FOR LNDG AND LANCASTER (LRP). SHUT DOWN UNNEEDED ELECTRICAL ITEMS. RECEIVED DSCNT AND VECTORS FOR LRP ILS RWY 8. LOST NAV #1 BEFORE INTERCEPTING LOC. ALSO LOST ELECTRICAL HSI/DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE AT THAT TIME. WITH ATC VECTORS, ATTEMPTED TO SET UP FOR VOR 8 AT LRP BUT LOST #2 RADIO BEFORE ABLE TO EXECUTE THE APCH. NOW ON PARTIAL PANEL WITHOUT COMS. HAD MOUNTAINS AND SEVERE WX TO THE W AND WASHINGTON DC ADIZ TO THE S. DETERMINED BEST OPTION WAS TO FLY SE AND ATTEMPT A GRADUAL LETDOWN. BROKE OUT OF IMC AT CEILING OF 600-700 FT. AFTER APPROX 15 MINS, CONCLUDED THAT WX IN ALL DIRECTIONS WAS WORSE THAN WHERE I WAS AND THAT SEVERE WX WAS APCHING. HAD PLENTY OF FUEL, BUT DECIDED ONLY SAFE OPTION WAS A PRECAUTIONARY OFF AIRFIELD LNDG. SELECTED A NARROW ROAD WITHOUT OBSTRUCTIONS BUT WITH A LNDG AREA OF ABOUT 1000 FT AS THE BEST SITE. FIRST 2 ATTEMPTS TO LAND ABORTED DUE TO AUTOMOBILE TFC IN LNDG AREA. THIRD ATTEMPT, GOT THE ACFT ON THE ROAD BUT, ON ROLLOUT, THE L MAIN GEAR GOT ONTO SOFT SHOULDER. THIS LED TO THE NOSE GEAR ALSO ON THE SOFT SHOULDER. SOON THEREAFTER THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT SKIDDED FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD AND CAME TO REST ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. NO INJURIES TO PIC OR PAX BUT REPAIRABLE DAMAGE TO NOSE GEAR, PROP, ENG, AND COWLING.

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.