Precautionary landing made when all electrical equipment failed during night flight.

Attributes
ACN	92044
Time
Date	198808
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk airport : ewr airport : isp
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 13 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 artcc : zkc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 1025 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	92044
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On sat morning, at approximately XA50 local, small aircraft X was en route from ewr to isp VFR in nyc TCA. Upon departure from ewr, noticed a small discharge on ammeter. Notified ATC and reset circuit breaker's. ATC asked if we wanted to return to ewr. Informed ATC that situation was now normal (discharge stopped) and would continue flight to isp. A short while later (approximately 4 mins) ammeter discharged again. Started to turn off unnecessary electrical loads due electrical failure. Left one navigation/communication transponder and navigation lights on. ATC started to say something when the communication (only one left on) got distorted. Told ATC of problem receiving and set transponder to 7600. Planned to continue but lights faded rapidly and a strange sound ('whomp, whomp,' etc) was heard. Assumed that alternator belt broke and was hitting propeller. Noticed jfk in front of aircraft, approximately 3 mi. Decided to make precautionary landing rather than fly at night west/O lights or radio. Circled the field 3 times looking for traffic and light gun signals. Finally, seeing no traffic, landed runway 13R and taxied off. Waited 10 mins, then stopped engine. Left aircraft and went to bldg approximately 100 yds and called authorities (see attached report of airport supervisor). Called jfk tower on telephone. Tower informed us that TRACON 'lost you on radar,' so he put lights (runway) on level 5 and stopped all traffic until we could be located. He assumed we would land at jfk. Note: before leaving ewr did a complete preflight check and run up. Checked alternator belt and alternator power (switch on/off)--all was working ok.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRECAUTIONARY LNDG MADE WHEN ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT FAILED DURING NIGHT FLT.

Narrative: ON SAT MORNING, AT APPROX XA50 LCL, SMA X WAS ENRTE FROM EWR TO ISP VFR IN NYC TCA. UPON DEP FROM EWR, NOTICED A SMALL DISCHARGE ON AMMETER. NOTIFIED ATC AND RESET CB'S. ATC ASKED IF WE WANTED TO RETURN TO EWR. INFORMED ATC THAT SITUATION WAS NOW NORMAL (DISCHARGE STOPPED) AND WOULD CONTINUE FLT TO ISP. A SHORT WHILE LATER (APPROX 4 MINS) AMMETER DISCHARGED AGAIN. STARTED TO TURN OFF UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL LOADS DUE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. LEFT ONE NAV/COM TRANSPONDER AND NAV LIGHTS ON. ATC STARTED TO SAY SOMETHING WHEN THE COM (ONLY ONE LEFT ON) GOT DISTORTED. TOLD ATC OF PROB RECEIVING AND SET TRANSPONDER TO 7600. PLANNED TO CONTINUE BUT LIGHTS FADED RAPIDLY AND A STRANGE SOUND ('WHOMP, WHOMP,' ETC) WAS HEARD. ASSUMED THAT ALTERNATOR BELT BROKE AND WAS HITTING PROP. NOTICED JFK IN FRONT OF ACFT, APPROX 3 MI. DECIDED TO MAKE PRECAUTIONARY LNDG RATHER THAN FLY AT NIGHT W/O LIGHTS OR RADIO. CIRCLED THE FIELD 3 TIMES LOOKING FOR TFC AND LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. FINALLY, SEEING NO TFC, LANDED RWY 13R AND TAXIED OFF. WAITED 10 MINS, THEN STOPPED ENG. LEFT ACFT AND WENT TO BLDG APPROX 100 YDS AND CALLED AUTHORITIES (SEE ATTACHED RPT OF ARPT SUPVR). CALLED JFK TWR ON TELEPHONE. TWR INFORMED US THAT TRACON 'LOST YOU ON RADAR,' SO HE PUT LIGHTS (RWY) ON LEVEL 5 AND STOPPED ALL TFC UNTIL WE COULD BE LOCATED. HE ASSUMED WE WOULD LAND AT JFK. NOTE: BEFORE LEAVING EWR DID A COMPLETE PREFLT CHK AND RUN UP. CHKED ALTERNATOR BELT AND ALTERNATOR PWR (SWITCH ON/OFF)--ALL WAS WORKING OK.

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