Narrative:

Mar/xa/08; I departed on an IFR flight plan at XA00Z from ZZZ to ZZZ1 in my mooney M20P/G. The clearance routing was at 7000 ft. The flight progressed normally until being handed off to approach about 40 mi from zzzzz intersection and about 30 mi nne of ZZZ. The controller reported that I lost my mode C. I immediately glanced down and noticed that my ammeter indicator read zero. Almost simultaneously; I lost radio contact. I climbed to 7500 ft to remain at an appropriate VFR altitude and turned toward the peninsula to avoid all restr areas; staying east of the ADIZ. At no time did I enter the ADIZ or restr airspace. Thinking that ATC at least knew my primary return and could see my direction of flight; they had more information on my flight than they would have had on a legal VFR flight not in contact with them. The deviation was believed to be in conformance with 14 crash fire rescue equipment section 91.185 (radio loss in VMC). As I approached ZZZ1; I tried to contact ZZZ1 approach and then ZZZ2 tower on my portable transceiver without success. Since I had the 800 number for approach; I called them and was able to briefly explain my situation and request they contact ZZZ1 and arrange for a light gun signal to land there. The landing was without incident. The cause of loss of electrical power was a defective voltage regulator. I intend to install a new low voltage indicator/light that can be more easily seen. With respect to procedures; I intend to acquire a cell phone with more wide range reception allowing me to contact ATC when other means fail. I will continue to use a garmin 496 portable GPS; and have a charged-up portable transceiver as backup communication and navigation capability.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN IFR MOONEY M20C'S VOLTAGE REGULATOR FAILED RESULTING IN LOST RADIO AND NAV CAPABILITY. THE PILOT PROCEEDED VFR TO HIS DEST WITH HIS CELL PHONE.

Narrative: MAR/XA/08; I DEPARTED ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AT XA00Z FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 IN MY MOONEY M20P/G. THE CLRNC ROUTING WAS AT 7000 FT. THE FLT PROGRESSED NORMALLY UNTIL BEING HANDED OFF TO APCH ABOUT 40 MI FROM ZZZZZ INTXN AND ABOUT 30 MI NNE OF ZZZ. THE CTLR RPTED THAT I LOST MY MODE C. I IMMEDIATELY GLANCED DOWN AND NOTICED THAT MY AMMETER INDICATOR READ ZERO. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY; I LOST RADIO CONTACT. I CLBED TO 7500 FT TO REMAIN AT AN APPROPRIATE VFR ALT AND TURNED TOWARD THE PENINSULA TO AVOID ALL RESTR AREAS; STAYING E OF THE ADIZ. AT NO TIME DID I ENTER THE ADIZ OR RESTR AIRSPACE. THINKING THAT ATC AT LEAST KNEW MY PRIMARY RETURN AND COULD SEE MY DIRECTION OF FLT; THEY HAD MORE INFO ON MY FLT THAN THEY WOULD HAVE HAD ON A LEGAL VFR FLT NOT IN CONTACT WITH THEM. THE DEV WAS BELIEVED TO BE IN CONFORMANCE WITH 14 CFR SECTION 91.185 (RADIO LOSS IN VMC). AS I APCHED ZZZ1; I TRIED TO CONTACT ZZZ1 APCH AND THEN ZZZ2 TWR ON MY PORTABLE TRANSCEIVER WITHOUT SUCCESS. SINCE I HAD THE 800 NUMBER FOR APCH; I CALLED THEM AND WAS ABLE TO BRIEFLY EXPLAIN MY SITUATION AND REQUEST THEY CONTACT ZZZ1 AND ARRANGE FOR A LIGHT GUN SIGNAL TO LAND THERE. THE LNDG WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAUSE OF LOSS OF ELECTRICAL PWR WAS A DEFECTIVE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. I INTEND TO INSTALL A NEW LOW VOLTAGE INDICATOR/LIGHT THAT CAN BE MORE EASILY SEEN. WITH RESPECT TO PROCS; I INTEND TO ACQUIRE A CELL PHONE WITH MORE WIDE RANGE RECEPTION ALLOWING ME TO CONTACT ATC WHEN OTHER MEANS FAIL. I WILL CONTINUE TO USE A GARMIN 496 PORTABLE GPS; AND HAVE A CHARGED-UP PORTABLE TRANSCEIVER AS BACKUP COM AND NAV CAPABILITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.