THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO START THE ENG WITH THE BATTERIES & MADE A START BY USING AN APU. ABOUT 10 MIN AFTER TAKING OFF, HE NOTICED AN OFF FLAG ON THE HSI. A FURTHER CHECK WAS MADE & HE DISCOVERED THE LEFT ALTERNATOR WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. HE THEN CHECKED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL, BY FEEL, & PUSHED IN A BREAKER. AT THAT TIME, TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE OCCURRED. AFTER FLYING ABOUT 40 MIN BY USING PARTIAL PANEL PROCEDURES. HE DESCENDED THRU IFR CONDITIONS, SAW A DESERTED/SNOW COVERED STREET & DECIDED TO LAND. HOWEVER, BEFORE DESCENDING, THE ACFT HAD 'PICKED UP SOME ICE,' & WITH NO PITOT HEAT, THE PITOT HEAT TUBE HAD ICED OVER, MAKING THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR INOP. ALSO, WITH ELECTRICAL FAILURE, THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND THE FLAPS. WHILE LANDING, THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO STOP BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE SNOW COVERED STREET & THE ACFT HIT A DIRT BANK & WAS DAMAGED. A EXAM REVEALED A LOOSE CONNECTION ON THE LEFT ALTERATOR, SHORTING ACROSS THE BRUSH LEADS. THE 'Y' CONNECTION ON THE RIGHT ALTERNATOR WAS BURNT/2 WIRES BURNT OFF.

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:

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

Contributing Factors

LIGHT CONDITION..DARK NIGHT

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..CLOUDS

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..ICING CONDITIONS

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..SNOW COVERED

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..DIRT BANK/RISING EMBANKMENT

Index for Dec1983 | Index of months