What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was providing instruction in practice area and was returning to phoenix-Mesa gateway (iwa). He noticed that the display on the garmin 430 (nav/com 1) was flickering. The garmin 430 then shut down and restarted. Shortly after the unit restarted it shut down completely. The pilot attempted to use nav/com 2. Nav com 2 was also not functioning. The pilot then used his cellular phone to contact iwa tower. Iwa tower, instructed the aircraft to make a straight in approach to 30 l and expect light gun signals. The pilot approached the edge of the iwa class d airspace. Concerned that he had not received a light gun signal, the pilot utilized his mobile phone to contact tower. Tower instructed the pilot to continue on a straight in approach to 30L and to expect a light gun signal on short final. The pilot continued as instructed, received a clearance to land, via light gun, and taxied to parking using the light gun signals.
The pilot concluded that he had experienced an alternator failure and subsequent drain of power from the battery.
The pilot stated, in a phone interview that prior to the flight he had tested the annuciator lights and that they were functioning, but he did not see an annuciator illuminated after the alternator presumably failed.
The aircraft is owned and operated by ATP flight schools. The director of maintenance for ATP flight schools stated that the alternator had failed and was replaced.
No action is being taken against the pilot or owner/operator
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS PROVIDING INSTRUCTION IN PRACTICE AREA AND WAS RETURNING TO PHOENIX-MESA GATEWAY (IWA). HE NOTICED THAT THE DISPLAY ON THE GARMIN 430 (NAV/COM 1) WAS FLICKERING. THE GARMIN 430 THEN SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED. SHORTLY AFTER THE UNIT RESTARTED IT SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO USE NAV/COM 2. NAV COM 2 WAS ALSO NOT FUNCTIONING. THE PILOT THEN USED HIS CELLULAR PHONE TO CONTACT IWA TOWER. IWA TOWER, INSTRUCTED THE AIRCRAFT TO MAKE A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH TO 30 L AND EXPECT LIGHT GUN SIGNALS. THE PILOT APPROACHED THE EDGE OF THE IWA CLASS D AIRSPACE. CONCERNED THAT HE HAD NOT RECEIVED A LIGHT GUN SIGNAL, THE PILOT UTILIZED HIS MOBILE PHONE TO CONTACT TOWER. TOWER INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO CONTINUE ON A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH TO 30L AND TO EXPECT A LIGHT GUN SIGNAL ON SHORT FINAL. THE PILOT CONTINUED AS INSTRUCTED, RECEIVED A CLEARANCE TO LAND, VIA LIGHT GUN, AND TAXIED TO PARKING USING THE LIGHT GUN SIGNALS.
THE PILOT CONCLUDED THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT DRAIN OF POWER FROM THE BATTERY.
THE PILOT STATED, IN A PHONE INTERVIEW THAT PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT HE HAD TESTED THE ANNUCIATOR LIGHTS AND THAT THEY WERE FUNCTIONING, BUT HE DID NOT SEE AN ANNUCIATOR ILLUMINATED AFTER THE ALTERNATOR PRESUMABLY FAILED.
THE AIRCRAFT IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY ATP FLIGHT SCHOOLS. THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE FOR ATP FLIGHT SCHOOLS STATED THAT THE ALTERNATOR HAD FAILED AND WAS REPLACED.
NO ACTION IS BEING TAKEN AGAINST THE PILOT OR OWNER/OPERATOR