AN UNSPECIFIED ACFT; ON AN IFR FLT PLAN IN IMC; LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR ON CLB FROM SJC. PLT CLBED FROM ASSIGNED ALT INTO VMC CONDITIONS. ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT ATC WITH HANDHELD RADIO WERE UNSUCCESSFUL.

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DURING CLBOUT; I EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE IN IMC. I HAD INTERCEPTED THE AIRWAY TO THE ASSIGNED VOR AND WAS CLBING TO ASSIGNED (7000 FT) ALT. I PERFORMED CHKLIST ITEMS FOR ELECTRICAL FAILURE BUT DID NOT GET BACK ON LINE. I SUBSEQUENTLY TRIED AGAIN WITH NO SUCCESS. DECIDED TO TRY WHEN I WAS NEAR MY LNDG DEST. SEVERAL COM ATTEMPTS WERE TRIED WITH A HANDHELD RADIO; BUT I WAS APPARENTLY OUT OF RANGE. BECAUSE I HAD NO WAY OF NAVING TO THE NEXT VOR OR DETERMINING MY DIRECTION EASTWARD; I DECIDED TO FLY A COURSE ESE WHERE I BELIEVED; BASED ON MY WX BRIEFING; I WOULD ENCOUNTER VFR CONDITIONS WITHIN A SHORT TIME. BECAUSE THAT COURSE WAS GOING TO TAKE ME OVER HIGHER TERRAIN; I DECIDED TO CLB TO APPROX 9000 FT MSL. I HAD LOST THE #1 ELECTRIC ALTIMETER AND I DID NOT KNOW WHAT ERRORS EXISTED IN THE #2. APPROX 20 MINS LATER; I WAS IN VMC; HDG TOWARD FAT. I TRIED TO GET THE ELECTRICAL PWR BACK ON FOR LNDG AND WAS ABLE TO DO SO. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL MONITOR BOTH ALTIMETERS TO BE SURE THEY AGREE.