AN SMA PLT LANDED ENRTE WITH A FAILED ELECTRICAL SYS.

Narrative

IN SUM: A PLT IN A RENTED SMA WAS FLYING WITH A TOTAL OF 4 IN THE ACFT. ONE OF THE PAX TOLD THE PLT THAT THERE WAS A 'WHINE' IN THE CABIN. THE PLT WAS WEARING A HEADSET; THE PAX WERE NOT WEARING HEADSETS. THE PLT DETERMINED THAT THE 'WHINE' WAS AN ALTERNATOR NOISE. WHEN IT PERSISTED AND GOT LOUDER; THE PLT; WHO HAD NOT FILED A FLT PLAN; CALLED PRC FSS ON 121.5 AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AT TOMBSTONE. THE FRONT SEAT PAX HAD TO PUMP THE LNDG GEAR DOWN. THE PROB TURNED OUT TO BE A BURNED OUT LNDG GEAR MOTOR. ONE OF THE PAX COUNSELED ANOTHER PAX NOT TO TELL THE PLT THAT THERE WAS A 'WHINE' AND THEREFORE A POSSIBLE PROB. ALL COMMON SENSE PROCS WERE FOLLOWED IN THIS EMER SIT. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MY HEADSET OFF SOONER. THE SMA IS A VERY NOISY AIRPLANE. HEARING A WHINE IS REALLY TOUGH AND I ASSUMED MUCH TOO EARLY THAT WHAT 'I' WAS HEARING WAS NOT WHAT THE PAX WERE HEARING. I DID NOT FILE AN FAA FLT PLAN FOR A REASON. FAA IS A PAIN IN THE ASS TO DEAL WITH. THE WAITS ON THE PHONE ARE INTOLERABLE. SO; HERE IS WHAT I DO. MY BROTHER AND MY SON ARE BOTH PLTS. WHENEVER I GO FLYING; I SEND THEM A COPY OF MY FLT PLAN. I THEN CALL THEM AT EACH STOP. IF; FOR WHATEVER REASON I FAIL TO CALL; THEIR PLAN IS TO CALL THE FAA. I REALIZE THIS IS A STRATEGY OUT OF THE NORM; BUT IT WORKS. I FOUND MY BROTHER ONE TIME IN SAN FRANCISCO WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 5 MINS OVERDUE. IF I HAD TO DO IT OVER AGAIN? I BELIEVE MY DECISION TO IMMEDIATELY LAND WAS A GOOD ONE. ALTHOUGH MY PAX WERE GROSSLY INCONVENIENCED; HAD I OVERFLOWN TOMBSTONE; THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL AIRSTRIPS BTWN THERE AND TUCSON; MEANING AN EMER LNDG WOULD HAVE BEEN OFF ARPT.