PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 13.3; Flight Crew Total 470; Flight Crew Type 460
Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting; Human-Machine Interface
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft; Weather
I was flying VFR above a scattered layer and noticed my radio lights growing dim and the ADF not working properly. I looked at the ammeter for the generator and it was on zero. I made a 180 degree turn to return to the airport and started a cruise descent and noticed the airspeed indicator was near red line. I slowed the aircraft down and noticed that the controls were becoming mushy while the airspeed was still in the yellow arc. I then ignored the ASI and flew the plane back to the airfield by feel and without radios or a transponder. I landed without incident and the ASI read 110 KTS right when the stall warning went off just before touchdown and when I came to a full stop the ASI read 70 KTS.
While flying VFR; a PA28 pilot notices that the generator has apparently failed and a turn is made to return to the departure airport. During descent airspeed is noted to be near the red line but slowing produces a mushy feeling in the flight controls. The airspeed indicator is ignored and the aircraft is successfully flown to a safe landing by feel alone.