ALTERNATOR FAILURE RESULTS IN SMA PRIVATE PLT LNDG OFF ARPT WHEN UNABLE TO LOCATE CHARTED PRIVATE FIELD.
Synopsis
ALTERNATOR FAILURE RESULTS IN SMA PRIVATE PLT LNDG OFF ARPT WHEN UNABLE TO LOCATE CHARTED PRIVATE FIELD.
Narrative
PROB AROSE ENRTE FROM EL PASO TO TUCSON. I HAD 35 KT HEADWINDS THE FULL TRIP; AT 60 SM E OF TUS I HAD CLBED TO 10500' PER MEA FOR RADIO CONTACT WITH TUCSON APCH WHEN I SCANNED THE ALTERNATOR AND FOUND IT TO BE AT 0--NO OUTPUT. ALSO NO FUEL GAUGES (GAUGE READS ERRATIC AT LOW VOLTAGE) AND BATTERY VERY LOW. I HAD COMPUTED FUEL ON BOARD AT APPROX 17 GALS TOTAL. HOWEVER; BEING LOW AND WITH BATTERY PWR NOT RUNNING RADIOS; ETC; AND APCHING A MAJOR CITY ONCE OVER THE TEXAS CANYON RANGE MOUNTAINS; I DECIDED TO LAND AT ST DAVID OR BENSON (SMALL TOWNS). IT WAS MY JUDGEMENT THAT THIS WOULD BE BEST SINCE THE FUEL GAUGE NO LONGER WORKED AND I HAD SHUT OFF EVERYTHING BUT STROBE. IN LOOKING THE AREA OVER IT WAS MY JUDGEMENT; SINCE EVERYTHING WAS GREEN AND WET FARMLAND; TREES; ETC; TO USE A SMALL ASPHALT ROAD USING PWR. I LOOKED THE AREA OVER AND LANDED W/O ANY DAMAGE TO PROPERTY; PHONE LINES; PEOPLE; ETC. I THEN GOT OUT AND TOWED THE PLANE OFF THE ROAD IN CASE OF CARS. I ASKED A LADY TO CALL THE HWY PATROL; WHO CAME AND RELAYED A MESSAGE TO MY WIFE (WHO FLIES) TO CLOSE THE FLT PLAN SO NO SEARCH WOULD BE STARTED. SHE DID AND FSS SAID TO KEEP THEM POSTED. WE THEN TOWED UP TO A GAS STATION; PUT ON 11 GALS (FOR BALANCED TANKS ONLY); JUMP STARTED SMA USING MFG CABLE (PEP). I THEN; WITH AID FROM HWY PATROL; FLEW THE PLANE OUT; CONTACTED TUS APCH AND LANDED USING RADIO; SQUAWK AND STROBES. NO PROBS. WE THEN PUT PLANE IN HANGAR. THERE WERE NO TICKETS BY POLICE. ALL WERE HELPFUL. END OF STORY. TALKED WITH FSS UPON RETURN AND GAVE SAME RPT TO SUPVR. CHARGED BATTERY. BACKGROUND: THIS ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REBUILT AND FAILED 4 TIMES. CHKED BY TUS AVIONICS. DRIVEN DOWN TO CHANDLER DEALER (110 MI). I HAVE ALSO REPLACED ALL WIRES; VOLTAGE REG AND RELAY--NEW PRIOR TO FLT; FLOWN 4 HRS APPROX. NO PROBS. ALSO INSTALLED NEW CB'S MAIN AND FIELD. CHKED BY FIRM WHO REBUILT IT. AT PRESENT WE ARE SENDING ALTERNATOR AND RELAY/REG KIT TO MFG AT SALT LAKE CITY FOR THEIR IDEAS AND BENCH CHKS; ETC SINCE KIT WAS 2 WKS OLD AT TIME TO SEE IF THEY CAN MATCH IT UP AS WE HAVE NO REAL AVIONICS HERE; OR SO IT WOULD SEEM; SINCE THEY ALL LOOK AND DO NOTHING. BEING AN A&P I DECIDED TO SEND IT TO MFG AND SEE IF THEY CAN FIND IT. PS: COULD NOT LOCATE DIRT PVT FIELD AT BENSON DUE TO TREES OVER GROTH; ETC. LNDG WAS DONE TO ASSURE OF NO FIRE OR CAPABILITIES OF FIRE (PRIOR TO TOWN AND ARSA).
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.