Flight 10 - The IFR conditions are simulated, but the failures are real

[n122vu]

Aug 12, 2014 - Flight 10 started as a pretty typical lesson. Preflight, runup, takeoff were uneventful, considering the 9-kt right quartering crosswind.

Out to the practice area, about 15-20 miles out, and on with 'the hood.' I'd done this before, but only for about 20 minutes. Plan was to get around a full hour in. We came in just shy at 0.8, leveled out at 3500, then descended to 2500 (still under the hood) and headed for the airport via GPS.

About 5 miles from the runway, my instructor and I hear a strange 'noise' through our headsets. Our mutual reaction was "Huh. That was weird - what the heck was that?" On to the approach. I called out over the radio my 45-degree entry to left downwind for runway two-seven. About 3/4 the length of the runway, I hear my instructor say "Oh , we lost our radio." I look and COM1/NAV1 is completely dark. He quickly switched to COM2, immediately after which I followed my gut and put out the radio call announcing we were on left downwind in case the radio was actually gone before we entered at 45.

He took the airplane on the base leg. I called final on the radio as we turned. About 50 ft from the runway we heard a Stationair call that he was overflying the airport at 2200. At the end of his call COM2 faded, and the entire radio stack went dark. Once we got down, we had no radio, so we quickly taxied off the runway and headed straight for the hangar. Just after shutting down, tried to start it again. The battery was completely dead.

We believed the alternator had failed, and so far I have not heard differently. My instructor let me know that they'd had problems with it before, and it must have finally given up the ghost. I could easily be bitter about it, since they've known it was a problem in the past. However, knowing that in less than 100 hrs, the entire engine is due to be replaced, it's understandable (not excusable, but understandable).

All-in-all, it was a good flight. I'm pleasantly surprised at the fact I remained calm during the situation. I did have a few days of personal reflection as to whether this was enough to deter me, but it didn't take much thought to decide that there was no way this was going to stop or discourage me.

 

[Scav]

Hehe. I had a similar situation happen to me years ago as well. Only it wasn't in an aircraft, it was in a Honda and it was late at night. The alternator DID actually 'almost' fail at one point (on a highway off-ramp about a mile from home) but it found it within itself to give me enough juice to limp home.

At least:

1. The Lycoming powerplant pulling you through the sky has, as you know, these neato mags that rely on a moving prop (and an on-switch) to provide spark to the plugs, and
2. A cursory look at the schematics tell me the location of the alternator doesn't constitute hours of blue language involved in the removal and replacement of that component. The alternator on my Honda required the displacement of an axle from the driver's side hub before it could be removed/replaced.

Finally:

It's amazing how our brains work differently in crisis situations. I can recall an incident where I was involved with 30 other people in an icy bridge incident a few winters ago. Myself and at least one other driver ended up doing the tango over the bridge because someone had piled it in on the other side of the bridge and someone panicked. Between fishtailing left and right (both of us), and reversing directions (pointing the bright side of the car the wrong way) at least once, the amazing thing was not one vehicle struck either each other or the bridge guards and we all righted ourselves and went our separate ways with (I can only assume) no laundry issues. I'm glad to see this incident has made you think, and hasn't deterred you.

 

[mojoey]

The weird thing to me is, why isn't there a "Oh, this is all the stuff that's nearing it's replacement date/Already Hit the replacement date, but we're squeezing every last hour out of it we can/Stuff that's already failed, but is working now...ish" list for the aircraft? Cos that would have pointed out a less than able Alternator, and would have saved you a mini heart attack when your radio went south. Or at least your instructor saying "Hey, just a heads up, the Alternator's been a little iffy lately." And figuring out a way to handle it before it became a problem in the air.

That being said though, congrats on not flipping out and creating a nice geographical feature in someone's field :thumbup:

I hereby award you the Didn't Die Award, for not dying, obviously

 

[n122vu]

LOL thanks, mojoey, I'll wear it like a badge of honor. And I agree, a heads-up would have been nice. It's not really a 'replacement date' I don't think, as much as it is, after the next 100 hrs, this engine will be replaced. Whether that's a manufacturer's recommendation/requirement or just an arbitrary decision made by the company, I can't say.

Scav - Indeed, he said they'd be able to replace the alternator in no time, just a matter of ordering it and waiting on it to arrive, which he estimated to be a day at the most. Still, that's at least one day that other students are missing a lesson, and of course, so his he. He has a full-time job as a commercial/corporate pilot, but still, income is income.

Yes, wasn't worried about an engine-out situation, but in the moment, my senses and awareness were heightened, and I could have sworn the engine was running rougher than before (maybe it wasn't, maybe it was - perhaps the alternator actually seized?).

 

[MaverickSawyer]

2. A cursory look at the schematics tell me the location of the alternator doesn't constitute hours of blue language involved in the removal and replacement of that component. The alternator on my Honda required the displacement of an axle from the driver's side hub before it could be removed/replaced.

YES. GOD, YES. I HATE swapping that thing out. WOund up cranking the wheel all the way left and pulling the wheel well liners last time, and STILL had to remove the lower bracket for the alternator mount. Came out with only a few choice curses and a busted knuckle.

1990 Honda Civic, btw.