A PRIVATE SMA PLT HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN IMC. HE LANDED OFF ARPT.

Narrative

AFTER A NORMAL RUNUP; ALL ENG AND ELECTRICAL INSTS WERE INDICATING A NORMAL READING. I PROCEEDED TO TKOF. I WAS THEN SWITCHED OVER TO ZDC AND WAS TOLD ON COURSE AND TO IDENT (TRANSPONDER). WASHINGTON WAS HAVING PROBLEMS PICKING UP MY SQUAWK CODE. BY THIS TIME I WAS AT ABOUT 2000-3000 FT MSL. WHILE TALKING TO WASHINGTON; MY TRANSPONDER WENT DEAD AND I USED A CROSS RADIAL OFF OF ROA TO INDICATE MY POS. WHEN I REACHED VFR CONDITIONS; I CALLED LYH AND GAVE A RPT AND THEN I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR. I DECIDED TO GO TO RDU AND LAND SINCE WX WAS BETTER S. I USED MY HANDHELD RADIO TO TALK TO WASHINGTON. AFTER ABOUT 1 HR; WASHINGTON HAD RADAR CONTACT AND VECTORED ME TO RDU. I WAS THEN HANDED OFF TO RDU APCH AND CLRED TO 5000 FT MSL WITH ANOTHER VECTOR. THEN I WAS CLRED TO 3000 FT AND TO EXPECT THE ASR APCH TO RWY 23L WHEN MY HANDHELD WENT DEAD. I HAD PARTIAL GND CONTACT AND DECIDED TO DSND SINCE THE ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 600 FT AND FLAT. I BROKE OUT ABOUT 2000 FT AGL. I CONTINUED TO FLY TOWARDS THE ARPT ON MY LAST VECTOR BUT DECIDED TO RETURN WHERE I LAST HAD CONTACT WITH RALEIGH IN CASE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED. I SAW A SUITABLE FIELD; OVERFLEW IT TO VERIFY THE CONDITIONS OF THE FIELD AND RETURNED FOR AN OFF-FIELD LNDG. I PERFORMED A NORMAL OFF-FIELD LNDG. THE ACFT WAS NOT INJURED OR DAMAGED AS WELL AS THE PLT. I THEN WENT TO A HOUSE TO CALL THE FSS AT RDU.