Narrative:

While descending to land at opf airport, the electrical system started to fail. I called mia approach and informed them that I appeared to be having electrical problems. I told them I was descending to 1000 ft to remain clear of their airspace and that I was landing at opf. Mia approach cleared me as requested. I then proceeded from the north on about 170 degree heading to opf, descending to 1000 ft. At that time I lost all electrical power. I circled over the opf field and tower, attempting to get their attention, but it was dark and my landing light did not work due to loss of power. I went ahead and landed and by phone contacted the tower, and we discussed the issue. They informed me that it was ok. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that, notwithstanding his last communications with mia TRACON, they failed to alert opf of his arrival. The opf local controller advised the reporter that the proper procedure would have been for him to circle the tower until either he received a green light authorizing his landing or, unbelievably, until his fuel state was such that he had to land. The reporter found this suggestion not credible but deigned to argue with the controller for fear of aggravating the situation. He further stated the local controller advised his transponder was, in fact, still transmitting his code. Reporter was at a loss to explain how this could be so, if all other electrical functions on the aircraft were inoperative including all lighting. Reporter felt his actions were clearly supportable based on emergency authority/authorized and safety of flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF M20P SUFFERS ELECTRICAL FAILURE INBOUND TO OPF. ADVISES MIA APCH OF IMMINENT LOSS OF COM. MIA FAILS TO ADVISE OPF.

Narrative: WHILE DSNDING TO LAND AT OPF ARPT, THE ELECTRICAL SYS STARTED TO FAIL. I CALLED MIA APCH AND INFORMED THEM THAT I APPEARED TO BE HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBS. I TOLD THEM I WAS DSNDING TO 1000 FT TO REMAIN CLR OF THEIR AIRSPACE AND THAT I WAS LNDG AT OPF. MIA APCH CLRED ME AS REQUESTED. I THEN PROCEEDED FROM THE N ON ABOUT 170 DEG HDG TO OPF, DSNDING TO 1000 FT. AT THAT TIME I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR. I CIRCLED OVER THE OPF FIELD AND TWR, ATTEMPTING TO GET THEIR ATTN, BUT IT WAS DARK AND MY LNDG LIGHT DID NOT WORK DUE TO LOSS OF PWR. I WENT AHEAD AND LANDED AND BY PHONE CONTACTED THE TWR, AND WE DISCUSSED THE ISSUE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS OK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT, NOTWITHSTANDING HIS LAST COMS WITH MIA TRACON, THEY FAILED TO ALERT OPF OF HIS ARR. THE OPF LCL CTLR ADVISED THE RPTR THAT THE PROPER PROC WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR HIM TO CIRCLE THE TWR UNTIL EITHER HE RECEIVED A GREEN LIGHT AUTHORIZING HIS LNDG OR, UNBELIEVABLY, UNTIL HIS FUEL STATE WAS SUCH THAT HE HAD TO LAND. THE RPTR FOUND THIS SUGGESTION NOT CREDIBLE BUT DEIGNED TO ARGUE WITH THE CTLR FOR FEAR OF AGGRAVATING THE SIT. HE FURTHER STATED THE LCL CTLR ADVISED HIS XPONDER WAS, IN FACT, STILL XMITTING HIS CODE. RPTR WAS AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS COULD BE SO, IF ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS ON THE ACFT WERE INOP INCLUDING ALL LIGHTING. RPTR FELT HIS ACTIONS WERE CLRLY SUPPORTABLE BASED ON EMER AUTH AND SAFETY OF FLT.

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.