ACFT EQUIP PROB COMPOUNDED BY TERMINAL AREA WX FOR A C- 182 PLT.

Narrative

RPTR WAS IN A C-182 AT 8500 FT ENRTE TO C75; IL; ON A VFR FLT PLAN. THERE WAS A 'THUD; THUD' NOISE AND THAT IS WHEN HE NOTICED THE ALTERNATOR WAS OFF LINE. HIS DEST ARPT; JUST 10 MINS AWAY WAS THE CLOSEST CHARTED ARPT SO HE CONTINUED TO DEST. THE UNI OPERATOR GAVE THE WX RPT OF 1/8TH OF A MI AND INTIMATED HE MIGHT GET IN. RPTR WENT THROUGH A NUMBER OF MANEUVERS IN VARIOUS APCHS TO VARIOUS RWYS AND FINALLY LANDED ON RWY 31; AFTER CIRCLING IN ABOUT 1 1/4 MI VISIBILITY CONDITIONS; LNDG ON A RWY THAT WAS PARTLY COVERED WITH FOG; CLOUD TOPS HAD BEEN ABOUT 350 FT. THE UNI OPERATOR HAD SUGGESTED; AS AN ALTERNATE PLAN; TO USE 'VARNA; 10 MI E WITH RLA AVAILABLE.' RPTR STATES THAT HIS DECISION TO LAND IN THE FOG WAS BASED UPON THAT PHRASEOLOGY THAT HE COULDN'T INTERP AND HIS ACFT'S CONDITION AND LOWERING BATTERY PWR. TURNS OUT THE UNI OPERATOR IS ALSO AN FAA INSPECTOR; WHO LATER SAID HE WOULDN'T VIOLATE HIM...RPTR IS UPSET BECAUSE THE CHART THAT HAD THE 'VLA' IS NOT PUBLISHED EXCEPT IN ILLINOIS; BEING A 2000 FT GRASS STRIP. (RLA MEANS RESTR LNDG AREA.) RPTR WANTS THE LCL ARPT OPERATORS TO REALIZE THAT TRANSIENT PLTS MAY NOT KNOW THEIR 'SLANG TERMS;' WANTS THE 'RLA' TYPE GRASS EMER ARPTS CHARTED ON NOAA CHARTS; NOT STATE PRINTED CHARTS. HE ALSO RPTED THE FACT THAT HE HAD FAILED TO TELL THE UNI OPERATOR OF HIS EQUIP SIT.