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PA32 pilot, en route in IMC, loses all electrical power, contacts ATC with a hand held radio and cell phone, and is vectored to a VFR landing at a divert airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 626921 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200408 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mci.airport |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 6000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc.artcc tracon : r90.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 16 flight time total : 1070 flight time type : 98 |
| ASRS Report | 626961 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Lost electrical power and advised center. Center began passing aircraft to different center and approach frequencys but communication was poor. Only compass was available for heading (HSI is electric). Battery was totally discharged. Used hand held radio for communication. Lost contact with center. Made call on 121.5. An aircraft guarding frequency gave me approach frequency. Contacted approach. Approach suggested using cell phone and gave phone number. They vectored aircraft over ZZZ at 3000 ft MSL but didn't see ground. Then was vectored south of ZZZ for an approach at 2000 ft MSL (1000 ft AGL). First saw ground, familiar landmarks and then runway. Problem was broken wire between battery and alternator.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PA32 PLT, ENRTE IN IMC, LOSES ALL ELECTRICAL PWR, CONTACTS ATC WITH A HAND HELD RADIO AND CELL PHONE, AND IS VECTORED TO A VFR LNDG AT A DIVERT ARPT.
Narrative: LOST ELECTRICAL PWR AND ADVISED CTR. CTR BEGAN PASSING ACFT TO DIFFERENT CTR AND APCH FREQS BUT COM WAS POOR. ONLY COMPASS WAS AVAILABLE FOR HDG (HSI IS ELECTRIC). BATTERY WAS TOTALLY DISCHARGED. USED HAND HELD RADIO FOR COM. LOST CONTACT WITH CTR. MADE CALL ON 121.5. AN ACFT GUARDING FREQ GAVE ME APCH FREQ. CONTACTED APCH. APCH SUGGESTED USING CELL PHONE AND GAVE PHONE NUMBER. THEY VECTORED ACFT OVER ZZZ AT 3000 FT MSL BUT DIDN'T SEE GND. THEN WAS VECTORED S OF ZZZ FOR AN APCH AT 2000 FT MSL (1000 FT AGL). FIRST SAW GND, FAMILIAR LANDMARKS AND THEN RWY. PROB WAS BROKEN WIRE BTWN BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR.
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.