C182 skylane pilot loses primary electrical power during a night IFR operation, uses handheld GPS and flashlight along with TRACON services for vectors for diversion to ZZZ.

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Attributes
ACN	637070
Time
Date	200411
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	Other
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 700 flight time type : 12
ASRS Report	637070
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : low voltage light on other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Stayed at 10000 ft until descent to 8000 ft to avoid the freezing level. A cloud had formed around ZZZ where I lost sight of ground and lights. Abeam ZZZ on vxxx, the low voltage light came on. Xchking ammeter confirmed discharge. Cycled alternator and circuit breaker and doublechked against checklist. Declared emergency, and diversion to ZZZ. Shut down all electrical except #1 radio/navigation and transponder. Controller gave vector and minimum descent level for ZZZ and requested souls on board, fuel quantity and aircraft color before all electrics died. Used handheld GPS and flashlight for orientation. Over ZZZ, flew reciprocal of runway 31 until clear of overcast and was able to descend below ceiling. Stayed just below ceiling until lined up for runway 31. Runway lights were on, so landed and taxied to terminal building to be greeted by emergency services. Failure diagnosed next day as broken alternator excitation field wire.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 SKYLANE PLT LOSES PRIMARY ELECTRICAL PWR DURING A NIGHT IFR OP, USES HANDHELD GPS AND FLASHLIGHT ALONG WITH TRACON SVCS FOR VECTORS FOR DIVERSION TO ZZZ.

Narrative: STAYED AT 10000 FT UNTIL DSCNT TO 8000 FT TO AVOID THE FREEZING LEVEL. A CLOUD HAD FORMED AROUND ZZZ WHERE I LOST SIGHT OF GND AND LIGHTS. ABEAM ZZZ ON VXXX, THE LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT CAME ON. XCHKING AMMETER CONFIRMED DISCHARGE. CYCLED ALTERNATOR AND CIRCUIT BREAKER AND DOUBLECHKED AGAINST CHKLIST. DECLARED EMER, AND DIVERSION TO ZZZ. SHUT DOWN ALL ELECTRICAL EXCEPT #1 RADIO/NAV AND XPONDER. CTLR GAVE VECTOR AND MINIMUM DSCNT LEVEL FOR ZZZ AND REQUESTED SOULS ON BOARD, FUEL QUANTITY AND ACFT COLOR BEFORE ALL ELECTRICS DIED. USED HANDHELD GPS AND FLASHLIGHT FOR ORIENTATION. OVER ZZZ, FLEW RECIPROCAL OF RWY 31 UNTIL CLR OF OVCST AND WAS ABLE TO DSND BELOW CEILING. STAYED JUST BELOW CEILING UNTIL LINED UP FOR RWY 31. RWY LIGHTS WERE ON, SO LANDED AND TAXIED TO TERMINAL BUILDING TO BE GREETED BY EMER SVCS. FAILURE DIAGNOSED NEXT DAY AS BROKEN ALTERNATOR EXCITATION FIELD WIRE.

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.