An small aircraft landed gear up after a complete electrical failure.

Attributes
ACN	217510
Time
Date	199208
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 40n
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 350 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	217510
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I entered left downwind for runway 11 after announcing my position both 1 mi north of the field, and on the 45 degree angle entry. I began the gumps check, and completed it after putting down the gear handle. I was facing directly into the setting sun, and noticed a helicopter just north of the field. I believe due to the sun glare, and the helicopter, I never checked for 3 green lights. I went through the gumps check again on base, and set up for a short field landing. The airplane landed with the gear up. I was totally surprised, looked down, saw the gear handle down, but no green lights. Then realized I had no electrical power. I was in error because I did not check for 3 green lights. What contributed to the incident was sun glare, and the helicopter distraction, and my lack of experience in a complex airplane. I assumed the gear went down when the handle went down, and had no idea that I lost electrical power. The radios were working when I took off the second time, and there were no other clues (no buzzer). I later learned that the plane had had electrical problems before. I will never go through a gumps check again without checking for 3 greens, and consider this to be 1 of the most important lessons I have ever learned in flying.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA LANDED GEAR UP AFTER A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: I ENTERED L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 11 AFTER ANNOUNCING MY POS BOTH 1 MI N OF THE FIELD, AND ON THE 45 DEG ANGLE ENTRY. I BEGAN THE GUMPS CHK, AND COMPLETED IT AFTER PUTTING DOWN THE GEAR HANDLE. I WAS FACING DIRECTLY INTO THE SETTING SUN, AND NOTICED A HELI JUST N OF THE FIELD. I BELIEVE DUE TO THE SUN GLARE, AND THE HELI, I NEVER CHKED FOR 3 GREEN LIGHTS. I WENT THROUGH THE GUMPS CHK AGAIN ON BASE, AND SET UP FOR A SHORT FIELD LNDG. THE AIRPLANE LANDED WITH THE GEAR UP. I WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED, LOOKED DOWN, SAW THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN, BUT NO GREEN LIGHTS. THEN REALIZED I HAD NO ELECTRICAL PWR. I WAS IN ERROR BECAUSE I DID NOT CHK FOR 3 GREEN LIGHTS. WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT WAS SUN GLARE, AND THE HELI DISTR, AND MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN A COMPLEX AIRPLANE. I ASSUMED THE GEAR WENT DOWN WHEN THE HANDLE WENT DOWN, AND HAD NO IDEA THAT I LOST ELECTRICAL PWR. THE RADIOS WERE WORKING WHEN I TOOK OFF THE SECOND TIME, AND THERE WERE NO OTHER CLUES (NO BUZZER). I LATER LEARNED THAT THE PLANE HAD HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS BEFORE. I WILL NEVER GO THROUGH A GUMPS CHK AGAIN WITHOUT CHKING FOR 3 GREENS, AND CONSIDER THIS TO BE 1 OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS I HAVE EVER LEARNED IN FLYING.

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.