Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 27500; Flight Crew Type 200
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Instrument training flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1. On instrument flight plan in VMC conditions with no ceiling and 10 miles visibility. I noticed [the] alternator discharge light. Tried reset per checklist [but it] did not reset. Circuit breakers checked in. Downloaded unnecessary items. Immediately notified ATC we were having electrical issues and may lose our radios and have total electrical failure. I requested a return to our departure airport - ZZZ. We were given a heading toward there and ATC said ZZZ2 was closer - would you like it. We said yes. Comm screens were flickering and comm was intermittent. We reported ZZZ2 in sight and Approach Control cleared us to land. Tried to [request priority handling] at this time; but [there was] no response as [we] had total electrical failure about this time. FSDO did report [priority handling was requested]. Contacted Tower with a handheld radio and verified landing clearance. Plane was grounded and left for Maintenance. Plane belongs to [a] flying club. Maintenance found wiring issue the next day and repaired the problem.FSDO called [the] flying club to fill out report. [The] flying club submitted the above information I provided and FSDO reported report closed. Only issue to me was [that] the instrument student filled out the flight plan different than I instructed him to. I told him to put the Instructor's name and information in the pilot section. He put his information there and also when Tower requested us to call and wanted the MOR information; he gave them his name as PIC. I have covered with him many times he is not PIC on an instrument flight plan but this does not get through to him as other instructors allow him to put his name on flight plan. This is an area that could use clarification in my opinion.
Flight Instructor reported an alternator failure caused a diversion and a precautionary landing.