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C210 pilot performs return land when his alternator malfunctions during a night operation departure from hpn.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 639485 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200412 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : cmk.vor |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl single value : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Snow Rain |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : charter |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 120 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 639485 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | observation : passenger |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather |
| Resolutory Action | aircraft : equipment problem dissipated controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overrode automation flight crew : landed in emergency condition other |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Approximately 15 mins after departure from hpn on an angel flight mission with 2 passenger onboard, the alternator tripped off-line. At this point the aircraft was in cruise at 7000 ft. A reset of the altitude master switch did not immediately remedy the problem. I asked ATC for a return to hpn and declared an emergency and asked for a lower altitude (temperature at 7000 ft was 3 degrees C, negative ice, warmer air below 6000 ft at or above freezing). Electrical load was shed and transponder deactivated on ZBW's advice that they could see us as a primary target. Descent and vectors to ILS runway 16 ensued. While in descent, noticed that the alternator was back on-line. Transponder was reactivated on assigned code and proceeded to normal landing. My altitude control was poor while load shedding, hand flying, and in turns.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: C210 PLT PERFORMS RETURN LAND WHEN HIS ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTIONS DURING A NIGHT OP DEP FROM HPN.
Narrative: APPROX 15 MINS AFTER DEP FROM HPN ON AN ANGEL FLT MISSION WITH 2 PAX ONBOARD, THE ALTERNATOR TRIPPED OFF-LINE. AT THIS POINT THE ACFT WAS IN CRUISE AT 7000 FT. A RESET OF THE ALT MASTER SWITCH DID NOT IMMEDIATELY REMEDY THE PROB. I ASKED ATC FOR A RETURN TO HPN AND DECLARED AN EMER AND ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT (TEMP AT 7000 FT WAS 3 DEGS C, NEGATIVE ICE, WARMER AIR BELOW 6000 FT AT OR ABOVE FREEZING). ELECTRICAL LOAD WAS SHED AND XPONDER DEACTIVATED ON ZBW'S ADVICE THAT THEY COULD SEE US AS A PRIMARY TARGET. DSCNT AND VECTORS TO ILS RWY 16 ENSUED. WHILE IN DSCNT, NOTICED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS BACK ON-LINE. XPONDER WAS REACTIVATED ON ASSIGNED CODE AND PROCEEDED TO NORMAL LNDG. MY ALT CTL WAS POOR WHILE LOAD SHEDDING, HAND FLYING, AND IN TURNS.
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.