Definition
A loss of electrical power to some or all aircraft systems, caused by a failure of the alternator, generator, battery, bus, or associated wiring. In an aircraft with an electronic flight display, an electrical failure can cause partial or complete loss of the primary flight instruments, navigation displays, communication radios, and other electrically powered equipment.
Plain English
The aircraft has lost electrical power — either fully or in part — so screens, radios, and other electrical equipment may stop working.
Context Anchor
In instrument flying with an electronic flight display, this term appears when discussing what can happen if the airplane loses electrical power to the display or supporting equipment.
Why Pilots Care
Requires immediate transition to backup instruments or partial-panel techniques to maintain control in instrument conditions.
Grounding Statement
If the aircraft electrical system stops supplying power, anything that depends on that power may go dark, freeze, or give unreliable information.
Intuition Check
Do not assume an electrical failure always means every electrical item stops at once. It can be total or partial, and some equipment may keep working while other equipment fails.
Example Sentence 1
After the alternator quit, the pilot recognized the electrical failure and began load-shedding non-essential equipment to preserve battery power.
Example Sentence 2
During the electrical failure drill the instructor had the student shed loads by turning off unnecessary avionics to extend battery life.