EMER LNDG AT ANOTHER ARPT MADE WHEN A C172 PVT PLT LOSES ALL ELECTRICAL DURING A NIGHT OP ON FREQ WITH ZNY; NY.

Date: 2004-02 · Aircraft: Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-maintenance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|other-total-elec-pwr-loss

Synopsis

EMER LNDG AT ANOTHER ARPT MADE WHEN A C172 PVT PLT LOSES ALL ELECTRICAL DURING A NIGHT OP ON FREQ WITH ZNY; NY.

Narrative

ELECTRICAL FAILURE. FIRST LOST GAS GAUGES; THEN IN ORDER: XPONDER; AUDIO PANEL; COM #1 AND COM #2; GPS; CABIN LIGHTING; VOR HEADS. ADVISED ATC OF DIFFICULTY AFTER LOSS OF GAS GAUGES AND XPONDER. ADVISED ATC OF PORTABLE COM ON BOARD IF NECESSARY. WHEN LOST ALL ELECTRICAL; ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ATC WITHOUT SUCCESS ON HAND HELD RADIO. SUCCESSFULLY LANDED WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE AT MGJ. CONTACTED FSS TO RELAY MESSAGE TO ATC THAT LNDG WAS SUCCESSFUL ALONG WITH REQUEST TO CLOSE FLT PLAN. CONTACTED LCL FBO THE NEXT MORNING AT MGJ TO DIAGNOSE PROB WITH ELECTRICAL. FBO DISCOVERED ALTERNATOR CABLE WAS COMPLETELY DETACHED (ALTERNATOR IS LOCATED IN AREA WHICH IS NOT ACCESSIBLE IN A C172N). FBO REPAIRED CABLE AND FLT CONTINUED SUCCESSFULLY THE NEXT MORNING TO HOME BASE. THE NEXT DAY; I DISCOVERED WHEN REVIEWING LOGBOOK THAT I HAD MISCALCULATED NIGHT CURRENCY AND WAS OUT OF CURRENCY BY 3 WKS. (I HAD MY WIFE ON BOARD AS MY PAX.) I PLAN ON COMPLETING 3 NIGHT LNDGS TO A FULL STOP BEFORE I TAKE ANY PAX IN THE FUTURE. AS TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE; THERE IS NOTHING THAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS OCCURRENCE. IN FACT; ACFT HAD JUST RECEIVED ITS ANNUAL WITHIN THE PAST MONTH OR SO.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.