Narrative:

On 5/mon/90, I reported for duty at XA50 to fly the small transport. While doing the preflight I noticed the master switch had been left on since 5/sat/90. At that time I called for a ground start. The battery was totally dead. After loading the xx cargo into the aircraft, I then started the aircraft. During the run-up I checked the alternators and both were showing a good positive charge. I took off VFR and elected to receive my IFR clearance in the air. After I lifted off the gear handle went into the up position. As the gear was retracting I lost all electrical power in the aircraft. I then went to the abnormal procedures part of the checklist for alternator failure. I tried the procedure twice, but had no success in regaining electrical power. While I was circling the airport at marshall, the owner of the local FBO noticed I was having problems. He departed the airport in his small transport B. He flew alongside of me and signalled me to follow him. (He had talked to my company who had told him to bring me to bemidji, mn.) I proceeded to follow him northbound toward bemidji. About the time we passed alexandria, mn, it was getting dark. I decided it my best option would be to land at alexandria airport. The pilot in the small transport B relayed (to company) that I would be landing at alexandria to my company. The company then arranged for emergency vehs to be there when I landed. After circling for awhile I pumped the landing gear down, but I didn't have any gear down indicator lights. I landed and all 3 gear were down and locked. After talking to the mechanics we determined that having a dead battery, the aircraft would not be able to back up to alternators in case of an overload. Battery power is required in order to tickle the alternators back on line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT EXPERIENCES TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: ON 5/MON/90, I RPTED FOR DUTY AT XA50 TO FLY THE SMT. WHILE DOING THE PREFLT I NOTICED THE MASTER SWITCH HAD BEEN LEFT ON SINCE 5/SAT/90. AT THAT TIME I CALLED FOR A GND START. THE BATTERY WAS TOTALLY DEAD. AFTER LOADING THE XX CARGO INTO THE ACFT, I THEN STARTED THE ACFT. DURING THE RUN-UP I CHKED THE ALTERNATORS AND BOTH WERE SHOWING A GOOD POSITIVE CHARGE. I TOOK OFF VFR AND ELECTED TO RECEIVE MY IFR CLRNC IN THE AIR. AFTER I LIFTED OFF THE GEAR HANDLE WENT INTO THE UP POS. AS THE GEAR WAS RETRACTING I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL PWR IN THE ACFT. I THEN WENT TO THE ABNORMAL PROCS PART OF THE CHKLIST FOR ALTERNATOR FAILURE. I TRIED THE PROC TWICE, BUT HAD NO SUCCESS IN REGAINING ELECTRICAL PWR. WHILE I WAS CIRCLING THE ARPT AT MARSHALL, THE OWNER OF THE LCL FBO NOTICED I WAS HAVING PROBS. HE DEPARTED THE ARPT IN HIS SMT B. HE FLEW ALONGSIDE OF ME AND SIGNALLED ME TO FOLLOW HIM. (HE HAD TALKED TO MY COMPANY WHO HAD TOLD HIM TO BRING ME TO BEMIDJI, MN.) I PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW HIM NBND TOWARD BEMIDJI. ABOUT THE TIME WE PASSED ALEXANDRIA, MN, IT WAS GETTING DARK. I DECIDED IT MY BEST OPTION WOULD BE TO LAND AT ALEXANDRIA ARPT. THE PLT IN THE SMT B RELAYED (TO COMPANY) THAT I WOULD BE LNDG AT ALEXANDRIA TO MY COMPANY. THE COMPANY THEN ARRANGED FOR EMER VEHS TO BE THERE WHEN I LANDED. AFTER CIRCLING FOR AWHILE I PUMPED THE LNDG GEAR DOWN, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY GEAR DOWN INDICATOR LIGHTS. I LANDED AND ALL 3 GEAR WERE DOWN AND LOCKED. AFTER TALKING TO THE MECHS WE DETERMINED THAT HAVING A DEAD BATTERY, THE ACFT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BACK UP TO ALTERNATORS IN CASE OF AN OVERLOAD. BATTERY PWR IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO TICKLE THE ALTERNATORS BACK ON LINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.