SMA LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR WHILE FLYING ON TOP OF AN OVCST.

Narrative

THE SIT OCCURRED ENRTE FROM BHM TO BFM. AFTER MVC; I NOTICED THAT MY ALTERNATOR OUTPUT DROPPED TO 0. I TRIED TO RECYCLE THE MASTER SWITCH AFTER TURNING THE RADIO MASTER OFF. THEN THE MASTER ON AGAIN AND THE RADIO MASTER ON. THE PROB CONTINUED. I TURNED OFF ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIP EXCEPT FOR THE XPONDER; 1 NAV AND 1 COM AND TOLD ZTL WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I ALSO TURNED THE ALTERNATOR OFF. AFTER COMMUNICATING WITH ZTL I KEPT ON WITH THE FLT SINCE I STILL HAD BOTH A NAV AND A COM WORKING; AND WAS NOT TOLD TO DISCONTINUE THE FLT BY CTR. I WAS IN VMC ON TOP AND KEPT LOOKING FOR A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS IN CASE I LOST COMS. BY THE WAY; MVC IS 62 NM FROM MY DEST. AFTER A FEW MINS; ZTL TOLD ME TO CONTACT BFM APCH ON 118.5. I TRIED AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE I WENT BACK TO ZTL ON 127.65. NO ANSWER. I COULD HEAR BOTH ZTL AND BFM APCH; BUT APPARENTLY THEY COULD NOT HEAR ME. FINALLY I SET MY XPONDER TO 7700 FOR 1 MIN; AND THEN 7600; WHILE I WAS LOOKING FOR A HOLE IN THE CLOUDS. I FOUND ONE OVER DAPHNE; AL; ABOUT 9 NM FROM MY DEST. I DSNDED DOWN WHILE I KEPT CALLING ZTL AND BFM APCH TO CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN. THEY COULD NOT HEAR ME; BUT ANOTHER ACFT HEARD ME WEAKLY AND TRIED TO RELAY THE REQUEST. THEY DID NOT SEEM TO GET ANY POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM ZTL; SO I ASSUMED I WAS STILL ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. I GOT BELOW THE CLOUDS AND WAS ABOUT 9 NM FROM MY DEST; BUT MADE THE DECISION TO GO TO 4R4 AND LAND. THE REASON FOR THIS WAS THAT 4R4 IS AN UNCTLED ARPT; WHILE BFM IS CTLED. I DID NOT WANT TO CAUSE ANY DANGEROUS SITS. IN ADDITION TO THAT; 4R4 IS THE ACFT'S HOME BASE AND THEY ALSO HAVE A MAINT FACILITY THERE THAT COULD SOLVE MY PROB. I OBSERVED THE TFC IN THE TFC PATTERN AT 4R4; ENTERED IT AND LANDED WITH NO PROBS. AS SOON AS I GOT OUT OF THE ACFT I CALLED BFM APCH ON THE TELEPHONE AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED; THAT I WAS ON THE GND AT FAIRHOPE; AND ASKED THEM TO CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN. THEIR RESPONSE WAS: WE'LL CLOSE YOU OUT. HOPE YOU GET THE PROB FIXED. DURING THE PREFLT I DID NOT NOTICE ANY PROBS WITH THE ALTERNATOR BELT. I CHKED IT AS PART OF MY PREFLT. I DID WHATEVER I COULD TO COMPLY WITH THE FARS WHILE I DEALT WITH THE SIT. AS FAR AS I KNOW I DID NOT BREAK ANY RULES. I KEPT TRYING TO CONTACT ATC; WHILE USING MY XPONDER AS REQUIRED FOR THE SIT.