Narrative:

During preflight of a rental aircraft, I discovered someone had left the master switch on, depleting all battery power. I received power for start from a gpu at which time I placed the alternator on-line and the ammeter showed a positive charge. After about a 10 min taxi and runup, I commenced the takeoff roll. Upon gear retraction, I had a total electrical failure. Apparently at gear retraction the alternator tripped off-line and with low or no battery power the alternator would not come back on-line. So, I had no power to operate electrical equipment such as communication and navigation radios, gear, flaps, etc. I proceeded VFR in VMC conditions to an uncontrolled airport and landed as prescribed by far 91.185(B). I lowered the gear manually and made a no-flag landing. Immediately after landing I called ATC to notify them I was safely on the ground, where I was, and as to what happened. I was told that no traffic conflicts resulted and that I did everything procedurally correct, but the local FSDO would have to be notified of the event. At this time, I don't know why the alternator tripped off-line with gear retraction, but I have resolved 2 things for flying single engine aircraft west/O redundant electrical systems. One is not to depart IFR west/O reserve battery power, and secondly, have as part of my flight kit a hand-held receiver/transmitter with navigation capability.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA IN RENTAL ACFT ON TKOF LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. UNABLE TO REST ALTERNATOR ACCOUNT FLAT BATTERY.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT OF A RENTAL ACFT, I DISCOVERED SOMEONE HAD LEFT THE MASTER SWITCH ON, DEPLETING ALL BATTERY PWR. I RECEIVED PWR FOR START FROM A GPU AT WHICH TIME I PLACED THE ALTERNATOR ON-LINE AND THE AMMETER SHOWED A POSITIVE CHARGE. AFTER ABOUT A 10 MIN TAXI AND RUNUP, I COMMENCED THE TKOF ROLL. UPON GEAR RETRACTION, I HAD A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. APPARENTLY AT GEAR RETRACTION THE ALTERNATOR TRIPPED OFF-LINE AND WITH LOW OR NO BATTERY PWR THE ALTERNATOR WOULD NOT COME BACK ON-LINE. SO, I HAD NO PWR TO OPERATE ELECTRICAL EQUIP SUCH AS COM AND NAV RADIOS, GEAR, FLAPS, ETC. I PROCEEDED VFR IN VMC CONDITIONS TO AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT AND LANDED AS PRESCRIBED BY FAR 91.185(B). I LOWERED THE GEAR MANUALLY AND MADE A NO-FLAG LNDG. IMMEDIATELY AFTER LNDG I CALLED ATC TO NOTIFY THEM I WAS SAFELY ON THE GND, WHERE I WAS, AND AS TO WHAT HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD THAT NO TFC CONFLICTS RESULTED AND THAT I DID EVERYTHING PROCEDURALLY CORRECT, BUT THE LCL FSDO WOULD HAVE TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE EVENT. AT THIS TIME, I DON'T KNOW WHY THE ALTERNATOR TRIPPED OFF-LINE WITH GEAR RETRACTION, BUT I HAVE RESOLVED 2 THINGS FOR FLYING SINGLE ENG ACFT W/O REDUNDANT ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. ONE IS NOT TO DEPART IFR W/O RESERVE BATTERY PWR, AND SECONDLY, HAVE AS PART OF MY FLT KIT A HAND-HELD RECEIVER/XMITTER WITH NAV CAPABILITY.

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.