PLT OF ATX SMA SINGLE ENG LAND HAD TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND LANDED USING LIGHT SIGNALS FROM THE TWR AT NIGHT.

Narrative

THE FIRST TAMPA APCH CTLR ADVISED XPONDER NOT READABLE ALL OF A SUDDEN. HANDED OFF TO NEXT CTLR WHO ADVISED TO EXPECT VISUAL APCH RWY 36R. I THEN INITIATED CALL TO REQUEST STATUS READING OF XPONDER WITH NO RESPONSE. HEARD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS AND THEN RADIO DEAD. I WAS FLYING VFR ON A 5 MI FINAL AND CONTINUED HOPING TO RECEIVE LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. ON 2 MI FINAL; I SAW A GREEN LIGHT AND PROCEEDED TO LAND. THERE WAS A STRONG XWIND AND HVY TURB/WIND SHEAR AND COULD NOT EXECUTE SAFE LNDG; THUS EXECUTED GAR. I THEN MADE A R CLBING TURN TO CTR OF ARPT AND BEGAN TO CIRCLE; ANTICIPATING ADDITIONAL LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. ONCE RECEIVED; I BEGAN A DOWNWIND TO RWY 9; HOWEVER; A RAINSHOWER OVER E END OF RWY BLOCKED VISIBILITY; THEREFORE; LANDED RWY 36L. AFTER LNDG; UNABLE TO SEE TWR DUE TO RAIN SO WAITED UNTIL SECURITY ESCORT TO RAMP. I HAD NOT NOTICED A DISCHARGE ON AMMETER UNTIL ATC ADVISED THAT XPONDER WAS FADING; AS THE READING WAS VERY SLIGHT AND THERE WAS NO LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT IN THE PLANE. I RECYCLED ALTERNATOR SWITCH; CHKED CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH NO LUCK. I THEN TURNED OFF ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIP EXCEPT 1 RADIO. AT THAT POINT; RADIO WENT DEAD. I HAD BEEN ADVISED TO EXPECT VISUAL APCH TO RWY 36R AND WAS GIVEN AN ALT OF 2600 FT MSL. HAVING FLOWN INTO TPA ON MANY OCCASIONS; I KNEW THAT THIS ALT RESTRICTION WAS TO CLR MCDILL AIR FORCE BASE; THUS; AFTER PASSING IT; I BEGAN MY DSCNT LOOKING FOR LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. AFTER MY FIRST ATTEMPT TO LAND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL I DECIDED I WOULD TRY 1 MORE APCH BEFORE DEPARTING AREA; THAT IS IF THE TWR WOULD CLR ME. I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO ADVISE WHICH RWY I WOULD BE CLRED FOR; SO I DECIDED TO LAND AS CLOSE TO THE WIND AS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER; WHEN I SAW THE RAIN ON THE END OF RWY 9 AND SAW THAT RWY 36L WAS CLR; I LANDED ON RWY 36L.