On a clear winter day, I departed Burlington, North Carolina, for Jackson County Airport at the western edge of the state for a visit with my fiancé. I had just reached cruising altitude at 6,500 feet, established flight following with Greensboro Approach and engaged the autopilot for what I thought would be a smooth, comfortable, VFR flight. Then I felt a slight tremor in my A-36 Bonanza and glanced at the instrument panel. To my astonishment, it was completely dark. There wasn’t a single light or flicker anywhere.
