GA small aircraft alternator failure followed by partial gear up landing.

Attributes
ACN	191556
Time
Date	199110
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 500 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	191556
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After a 7 hour cross country, on approach into van nuys airport at dusk, all my electric power was lost. This was due to an alternator field exciter wire which had broken off, somewhere along the route. The battery had been replaced at a FBO in idaho, but needlessly. Turns out, there was nothing wrong with the old battery, the mechanic failed to test the charging system. As a result, all communication, lights, flaps, electric, gear were lost and tower brought in with signal light. Gear failed to drop during emergency gear extension, according to the repair facility, because it was 'slightly out of rig'. The gear had, in fact, partially dropped just prior to lost power, when I dropped gear lever. Time of day, smell of electrical 'burning' in cockpit and length of cross country all played a part. A lesser pilot would not be here to write this story. My main concern was my passenger -- all walked away unscathed. The FAA official states it's one of the most perfect gear up lndgs he has seen. I feel good about that part -- the repair ticket, I don't. I just bought the aircraft, and come to find out, the low voltage light wasn't properly operating -- all this happened simultaneously at the world's busiest GA airport -- van nuys. Buyers beware!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ALTERNATOR FAILURE FOLLOWED BY PARTIAL GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER A 7 HR XCOUNTRY, ON APCH INTO VAN NUYS ARPT AT DUSK, ALL MY ELECTRIC PWR WAS LOST. THIS WAS DUE TO AN ALTERNATOR FIELD EXCITER WIRE WHICH HAD BROKEN OFF, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE RTE. THE BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED AT A FBO IN IDAHO, BUT NEEDLESSLY. TURNS OUT, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE OLD BATTERY, THE MECH FAILED TO TEST THE CHARGING SYS. AS A RESULT, ALL COM, LIGHTS, FLAPS, ELECTRIC, GEAR WERE LOST AND TWR BROUGHT IN WITH SIGNAL LIGHT. GEAR FAILED TO DROP DURING EMER GEAR EXTENSION, ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR FACILITY, BECAUSE IT WAS 'SLIGHTLY OUT OF RIG'. THE GEAR HAD, IN FACT, PARTIALLY DROPPED JUST PRIOR TO LOST PWR, WHEN I DROPPED GEAR LEVER. TIME OF DAY, SMELL OF ELECTRICAL 'BURNING' IN COCKPIT AND LENGTH OF XCOUNTRY ALL PLAYED A PART. A LESSER PLT WOULD NOT BE HERE TO WRITE THIS STORY. MY MAIN CONCERN WAS MY PAX -- ALL WALKED AWAY UNSCATHED. THE FAA OFFICIAL STATES IT'S ONE OF THE MOST PERFECT GEAR UP LNDGS HE HAS SEEN. I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT PART -- THE REPAIR TICKET, I DON'T. I JUST BOUGHT THE ACFT, AND COME TO FIND OUT, THE LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT WASN'T PROPERLY OPERATING -- ALL THIS HAPPENED SIMULTANEOUSLY AT THE WORLD'S BUSIEST GA ARPT -- VAN NUYS. BUYERS BEWARE!

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.