Narrative:

Problem in electrical system was noted on prior flight (altitude light on). Log said checked 'ok' by a&P. At XA00 start in int; everything checked prior to flight to svh. Departing svh at XE00; all electrical system ok and voltmeter read 28 volts and indicated charge on taxi. While being vectored for approach to ILS runway 33; lost storm scope; saw voltage drop; cut off all unnecessary electrical drain (pitot heat; lights). GNS 530 went out; autoplt went out. Punched alternator reset. Turned off all electric power; waited for volts to build up; then used #2 radio and voltage dropped with no output. I was in VMC when I intercepted localizer; got clearance for approach; then no radios. Proceeded to airport; circled tower for green light. Got same and landed without incident after go around. Talked to tower afterwards. Was told I was cleared in the blind and given green light. Could not see green light from approach end of runway 33 due to light from behind tower. Question now whether I should have landed on runways 33 assuming clearance and green light. I could see that all was clear. I still think the correct decision was made. Of course; could have flown to exx; an uncontrolled field; but would have been in and out of rain showers. I have a portable radio at home. I think I will put it in my flight bag. A&P who checked system after previous report was puzzled over failure and loss of effective battery power in no more than 20 mins. It will be interesting to see what the cause was. In over 20 yrs of flying; this is the first time I have experienced total electrical failure. When filing a flight plan; I always find out where the good WX is and make sure I have enough fuel to get there. From now on; I will also have another radio if WX is other than VMC. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: many electrical components have been replaced but as of this date; almost 6 weeks later; no definitive cause for the failure has been discovered. The aircraft is restr to day VFR flying only.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT HAS TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE COMMENCING APCH TO INT.

Narrative: PROB IN ELECTRICAL SYS WAS NOTED ON PRIOR FLT (ALT LIGHT ON). LOG SAID CHKED 'OK' BY A&P. AT XA00 START IN INT; EVERYTHING CHKED PRIOR TO FLT TO SVH. DEPARTING SVH AT XE00; ALL ELECTRICAL SYS OK AND VOLTMETER READ 28 VOLTS AND INDICATED CHARGE ON TAXI. WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR APCH TO ILS RWY 33; LOST STORM SCOPE; SAW VOLTAGE DROP; CUT OFF ALL UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL DRAIN (PITOT HEAT; LIGHTS). GNS 530 WENT OUT; AUTOPLT WENT OUT. PUNCHED ALTERNATOR RESET. TURNED OFF ALL ELECTRIC PWR; WAITED FOR VOLTS TO BUILD UP; THEN USED #2 RADIO AND VOLTAGE DROPPED WITH NO OUTPUT. I WAS IN VMC WHEN I INTERCEPTED LOC; GOT CLRNC FOR APCH; THEN NO RADIOS. PROCEEDED TO ARPT; CIRCLED TWR FOR GREEN LIGHT. GOT SAME AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AFTER GAR. TALKED TO TWR AFTERWARDS. WAS TOLD I WAS CLRED IN THE BLIND AND GIVEN GREEN LIGHT. COULD NOT SEE GREEN LIGHT FROM APCH END OF RWY 33 DUE TO LIGHT FROM BEHIND TWR. QUESTION NOW WHETHER I SHOULD HAVE LANDED ON RWYS 33 ASSUMING CLRNC AND GREEN LIGHT. I COULD SEE THAT ALL WAS CLR. I STILL THINK THE CORRECT DECISION WAS MADE. OF COURSE; COULD HAVE FLOWN TO EXX; AN UNCTLED FIELD; BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF RAIN SHOWERS. I HAVE A PORTABLE RADIO AT HOME. I THINK I WILL PUT IT IN MY FLT BAG. A&P WHO CHKED SYS AFTER PREVIOUS RPT WAS PUZZLED OVER FAILURE AND LOSS OF EFFECTIVE BATTERY PWR IN NO MORE THAN 20 MINS. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE CAUSE WAS. IN OVER 20 YRS OF FLYING; THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. WHEN FILING A FLT PLAN; I ALWAYS FIND OUT WHERE THE GOOD WX IS AND MAKE SURE I HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO GET THERE. FROM NOW ON; I WILL ALSO HAVE ANOTHER RADIO IF WX IS OTHER THAN VMC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: MANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT AS OF THIS DATE; ALMOST 6 WKS LATER; NO DEFINITIVE CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE HAS BEEN DISCOVERED. THE ACFT IS RESTR TO DAY VFR FLYING ONLY.

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.