PRIMARY ELECTRICAL PWR SUPPLY PROB FOR STUDENT PLT ON XCOUNTRY FLT.
Synopsis
PRIMARY ELECTRICAL PWR SUPPLY PROB FOR STUDENT PLT ON XCOUNTRY FLT.
Narrative
STUDENT PLT WAS ON SECOND SOLO XCOUNTRY. AFTER COMPLETING FIRST LEG OF FLT FROM PATRICK AFB (COF) TO DAYTONA BEACH (DAB); STUDENT WAS FLYING SECOND LEG FROM DAB TO LAKELAND (LAL). STUDENT WAS IN RADIO CONTACT AND HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO ENTER CLASS B AIRSPACE FROM ORLANDO APCH. AFTER ENTERING CLASS B; STUDENT RECALLED HEARING STRANGE WHIRRING SOUNDS COMING FROM RADIO AND SMELLED SMOKE OR BURNED SMELL (THERE WERE MANY GRASS FIRES IN THE VICINITY THIS DAY). SHORTLY THEREAFTER; THE ORLANDO TRACON INFORMED THE STUDENT THEY HAD LOST HIS XPONDER. STUDENT WAS ABLE TO COM FOR SEVERAL MINS AND THEN LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR. DUE TO SMELL OF SMOKE AND LOSS OF COM AND ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL; STUDENT DECIDED TO MAKE EMER LNDG AT THE NEAREST ARPT WHICH WAS CENTRAL FLORIDA REGIONAL. HE ENTERED THE PATTERN AND LATER STATED HE SAW NO LIGHT GUN SIGNALS FROM THE TWR. A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE AND THE ACFT WAS TAXIED TO A NEARBY FBO FOR INVESTIGATION OF PROB. STUDENT MADE NO ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THE TWR FOR EXPLANATION; NOR WAS THE ORLANDO TRACON CONTACTED. WHEN ASKED MANY HRS LATER WHY THE STUDENT DIDN'T TRY TO CONTACT THE TWR TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED; THE STUDENT SAID HE JUST DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE EMER SIT HE FELT HE WAS IN. I SUBSEQUENTLY RE-BRIEFED THE STUDENT ON PROPER PATTERN ENTRY AND LOST COM PROCS; AND STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF CLUEING THE ATC FACILITY AFTER THE INCIDENT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.