THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER DURING THE LOCAL, SOLO FLT. THE STUDENT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LDG AT MUSCLE SHOALS ARPT (MSL) WHICH WAS THE NEAREST ARPT. HE MADE TWO ATTEMPTS TO LAND ON RWY 36, WITH A 12-20 KT TAILWIND: ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT, HE WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE AIRPLANE ON THE RWY AND HE EXECUTED A GO-AROUND. ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT, HE LANDED; THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE 4,000 FT RWY AND NOSED OVER. THE STUDENT RPTD THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE ARPT WINDSOCK PRIOR TO LDG. THE WINDSOCK IS LOCATED AT ABOUT MIDFIELD, ACCORDING TO ARPT LAYOUT DIAGRAMS. POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE BY A MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FIELD WIRE HAD BROKEN AT THE FIELD TERMINAL, WHICH DISABLED THE ALTERNATOR AND SUBSEQUENTLY LED TO A DISCHARGED BATTERY. THE STUDENT HAD ONLY ABOUT 1 HR SOLO FLT EXPERIENCE. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY LANDED AT MSL, DURING A DUAL-INSTRUCTIONAL FLT ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..SOFT

Contributing Factors

PRECAUTIONARY LANDING..ATTEMPTED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRIC WIRING..DISCONNECTED

Contributing Factors

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ALTERNATOR..DISABLED

Contributing Factors

WIND INFORMATION..NOT ATTAINED..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BATTERY..EXHAUSTION

Contributing Factors

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM..INOPERATIVE

Contributing Factors

LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE..PILOT IN COMMAND

Index for Mar1988 | Index of months