Narrative:

May/fri/89 while en route from new haven (hvn) to elmira (elm) at 6500' MSL on V36, while talking with binghamton approach, the controller said he was not receiving a transponder signal. The controller said to recycle, upon doing so the radios began flashing and alternator output began decreasing. All electrical equipment was shut down and several attempts to recycle the alternator were unsuccessful. The position lights were used and transponder set to 7600. Although the reply light did not come on. Several attempts were made to contact binghamton approach. Each attempt at transmitting caused the radios to begin flashing. Attempts were made to track the elm VOR, but the radio made this unsuccessful. Using pilotage and dead reckoning, elmira was arrived at. At descent had been made to 4500' MSL, permission given by binghamton and to 2100' MSL at elmira airport. Several fly-bys at the elmira tower were made, to no avail, in hopes of gaining permission to land. After the third fly-by the decision was made to land, upon bringing the gear handle to extend, nothing happened. The approach was brought around. A climb followed and the next 40 minutes (approximately) were spent attempting to bring the gear down as specified by the aircraft manual. Attempts were also made to recycle the alternator. The decision was made to land. The remaining electrical equipment, position lights and transponder, were shutdown and the gear lever was again brought down. On this approach another aircraft was observed on final for runway 06, a go around and right hand pattern were commenced. The fifth approach, after watching the other aircraft taxi clear, was terminated with a gear up landing. Prior to this all loose objects, headsets, maps, flashlights, facility directory, etc, were placed in the rear baggage area, all occupants were told to check seat belts, the door was opened and fuel was cut off at the last moment. The aircraft was landed on the centerline of runway 24 within approximately 500' and all occupants were free of injury.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND MADE A GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: MAY/FRI/89 WHILE ENRTE FROM NEW HAVEN (HVN) TO ELMIRA (ELM) AT 6500' MSL ON V36, WHILE TALKING WITH BINGHAMTON APCH, THE CTLR SAID HE WAS NOT RECEIVING A XPONDER SIGNAL. THE CTLR SAID TO RECYCLE, UPON DOING SO THE RADIOS BEGAN FLASHING AND ALTERNATOR OUTPUT BEGAN DECREASING. ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WAS SHUT DOWN AND SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RECYCLE THE ALTERNATOR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE POSITION LIGHTS WERE USED AND XPONDER SET TO 7600. ALTHOUGH THE REPLY LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CONTACT BINGHAMTON APCH. EACH ATTEMPT AT XMITTING CAUSED THE RADIOS TO BEGIN FLASHING. ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO TRACK THE ELM VOR, BUT THE RADIO MADE THIS UNSUCCESSFUL. USING PILOTAGE AND DEAD RECKONING, ELMIRA WAS ARRIVED AT. AT DSCNT HAD BEEN MADE TO 4500' MSL, PERMISSION GIVEN BY BINGHAMTON AND TO 2100' MSL AT ELMIRA ARPT. SEVERAL FLY-BYS AT THE ELMIRA TWR WERE MADE, TO NO AVAIL, IN HOPES OF GAINING PERMISSION TO LAND. AFTER THE THIRD FLY-BY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND, UPON BRINGING THE GEAR HANDLE TO EXTEND, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE APCH WAS BROUGHT AROUND. A CLIMB FOLLOWED AND THE NEXT 40 MINUTES (APPROX) WERE SPENT ATTEMPTING TO BRING THE GEAR DOWN AS SPECIFIED BY THE ACFT MANUAL. ATTEMPTS WERE ALSO MADE TO RECYCLE THE ALTERNATOR. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND. THE REMAINING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, POSITION LIGHTS AND XPONDER, WERE SHUTDOWN AND THE GEAR LEVER WAS AGAIN BROUGHT DOWN. ON THIS APCH ANOTHER ACFT WAS OBSERVED ON FINAL FOR RWY 06, A GO AROUND AND RIGHT HAND PATTERN WERE COMMENCED. THE FIFTH APCH, AFTER WATCHING THE OTHER ACFT TAXI CLEAR, WAS TERMINATED WITH A GEAR UP LNDG. PRIOR TO THIS ALL LOOSE OBJECTS, HEADSETS, MAPS, FLASHLIGHTS, FACILITY DIRECTORY, ETC, WERE PLACED IN THE REAR BAGGAGE AREA, ALL OCCUPANTS WERE TOLD TO CHECK SEAT BELTS, THE DOOR WAS OPENED AND FUEL WAS CUT OFF AT THE LAST MOMENT. THE ACFT WAS LANDED ON THE CENTERLINE OF RWY 24 WITHIN APPROX 500' AND ALL OCCUPANTS WERE FREE OF INJURY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.