DA40 communication pilot experiences an electrical failure at dusk; followed by an unfamiliar airpor...

Attributes
ACN	693239
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oxr.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft Low Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 20 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	693239
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical excursion : runway ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On the ground while taxiing; I ran over a taxiway edge light. This was the last step of a flight with numerous problems. After landing at psp; went to lunch. Came back a few hours later to find the alternator battery switch was left on (or pushed on accidentally upon exiting). Had to wait for 1/2 hour to get an external start delaying the flight into dusk/early evening. After climbing out to 10000 ft; battery very quickly ran down. Apparently battery was drawing too much from alternator so alternator shut off. Was forced to divert to oxnard; an unfamiliar airport on back-up/emergency power at night. After landing; I was told to turn off at a taxiway (I believe taxiway H). Saw the sign and thought I must be passing it; so turned sharply and ran over taxiway edge lights. (I thought blue lights were the end of taxiway H; but they were the start.) my unfamiliarity with the airport; not looking at taxiway diagram before landing (due to emergency situation); a flight at night that I do not usually do (medical precludes night flight due to color blindness) and short but eventful trip contributed to error.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DA40 COM PLT EXPERIENCES AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT DUSK; FOLLOWED BY AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT LNDG AND FINALLY RUNNING OVER A RWY EDGE LIGHT.

Narrative: ON THE GND WHILE TAXIING; I RAN OVER A TXWY EDGE LIGHT. THIS WAS THE LAST STEP OF A FLT WITH NUMEROUS PROBS. AFTER LNDG AT PSP; WENT TO LUNCH. CAME BACK A FEW HRS LATER TO FIND THE ALTERNATOR BATTERY SWITCH WAS LEFT ON (OR PUSHED ON ACCIDENTALLY UPON EXITING). HAD TO WAIT FOR 1/2 HR TO GET AN EXTERNAL START DELAYING THE FLT INTO DUSK/EARLY EVENING. AFTER CLBING OUT TO 10000 FT; BATTERY VERY QUICKLY RAN DOWN. APPARENTLY BATTERY WAS DRAWING TOO MUCH FROM ALTERNATOR SO ALTERNATOR SHUT OFF. WAS FORCED TO DIVERT TO OXNARD; AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT ON BACK-UP/EMER PWR AT NIGHT. AFTER LNDG; I WAS TOLD TO TURN OFF AT A TXWY (I BELIEVE TXWY H). SAW THE SIGN AND THOUGHT I MUST BE PASSING IT; SO TURNED SHARPLY AND RAN OVER TXWY EDGE LIGHTS. (I THOUGHT BLUE LIGHTS WERE THE END OF TXWY H; BUT THEY WERE THE START.) MY UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE ARPT; NOT LOOKING AT TXWY DIAGRAM BEFORE LNDG (DUE TO EMER SITUATION); A FLT AT NIGHT THAT I DO NOT USUALLY DO (MEDICAL PRECLUDES NIGHT FLT DUE TO COLOR BLINDNESS) AND SHORT BUT EVENTFUL TRIP CONTRIBUTED TO ERROR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

DA40 communication pilot experiences an electrical failure at dusk; followed by an unfamiliar airport landing and finally running over a runway edge light.