Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 13500; Flight Crew Type 1500
Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure; Workload; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Flying a STC modified Cessna 182 containing an added sensor ball for IR; E0; etc. Modification included upgraded engine; large alternator. Mission electrical load can be as high as 100 AMPS. Approximately 15 minutes after takeoff; an electrical surge of unknown origin caused alternator field failure and rapid battery drain. [I] first noticed FM communications radio failure; video microwave downlink failure; VHF AM Comm Two failure; glass panel failure and Comm One failure. [I] attempted blind transmission of NORDO status (one local aircraft heard transmission); transponder to 7600. Then [I had] internal light failure enroute airport (five miles away); transponder to 7700. [I] received green light from Tower. Landed uneventfully and turned off runway and shutdown to await Fire Department response. No smoke or fire noted. Aircraft towed to ramp hanger and turned over to maintenance.
A specially equipped C182 during military mission support had alternator failure resulting in the loss of all radios and other equipment so the pilot diverted to a nearby airport after squawking 7600 and 7700 for a green light landing.