Primary electrical power supply problem results in emergency declared and diversion to alternate air...

Attributes
ACN	262339
Time
Date	199401
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mod
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : mod
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 667 flight time type : 285
ASRS Report	262339
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Sudden loss electrical system while in flight. All electrically operated equipment failed, including directional gyroscope, radios and transponder, egt, digital fuel gauges. Both VOR/omni indicators not working. Flew disabled craft to destination airport by pilotage, magnetic compass, IAS, altimeter. On approach to destination (modesto), performed 'gumps'. Heard landing gear let down but no light indicating undercarriage locked. I thought light may not be working because of electrical failure. Made decision to land before anything else went wrong (fearful of electrical fire). I was prepared to go around, however, if aircraft failed to touch down at proper ht above ground. Aircraft did touch down (gently), rolled out 75 yards or so. Then undercarriage collapsed. Aircraft slid on undersurface approximately 75 yards and came to rest just off the runway on the left (grassy area). This pilot slightly unnerved, but no injuries. Cause of electrical failure: unknown at this time. Corrective actions: immediately dialed 7700 one min and 7600 for 15 mins. Probably useless procedure since transponder light out. Inactions: I knew the procedures for electrical failure (check alternator lights, etc, etc. If both alternator lights out, switch to other regulator, etc). However, I the anxiety of the moment (worried about electrical fire) and operating the aircraft via pilotage, etc, I failed to execute the emergency procedures for electrical failure. If I had, and the problem was failure of one regulator, I wouldn't be filling out this questionnaire. On the other hand, inspection of the aircraft down the road may reveal execution of electrical emergency procedure wouldn't have made any difference. I made wrong assumption that landing gear light was not working because of the electrical failure. I should have manually locked the gear down -- or at least hand cranked it down as far as it would crank. However, with so many gauges blinking on and off all over my instrument panel like a penny arcade and fearful of an electrical fire, I made the decision to get the aircraft on the ground as soon as possible, especially fearful that the electrical failure would erupt into an electrical fire.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIMARY ELECTRICAL PWR SUPPLY PROB RESULTS IN EMER DECLARED AND DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE ARPT. GEAR COLLAPSES UPON LNDG PROC ROLLOUT.

Narrative: SUDDEN LOSS ELECTRICAL SYS WHILE IN FLT. ALL ELECTRICALLY OPERATED EQUIP FAILED, INCLUDING DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE, RADIOS AND XPONDER, EGT, DIGITAL FUEL GAUGES. BOTH VOR/OMNI INDICATORS NOT WORKING. FLEW DISABLED CRAFT TO DEST ARPT BY PILOTAGE, MAGNETIC COMPASS, IAS, ALTIMETER. ON APCH TO DEST (MODESTO), PERFORMED 'GUMPS'. HEARD LANDING GEAR LET DOWN BUT NO LIGHT INDICATING UNDERCARRIAGE LOCKED. I THOUGHT LIGHT MAY NOT BE WORKING BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE. MADE DECISION TO LAND BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE WENT WRONG (FEARFUL OF ELECTRICAL FIRE). I WAS PREPARED TO GAR, HOWEVER, IF ACFT FAILED TO TOUCH DOWN AT PROPER HT ABOVE GROUND. ACFT DID TOUCH DOWN (GENTLY), ROLLED OUT 75 YARDS OR SO. THEN UNDERCARRIAGE COLLAPSED. ACFT SLID ON UNDERSURFACE APPROX 75 YARDS AND CAME TO REST JUST OFF THE RWY ON THE L (GRASSY AREA). THIS PLT SLIGHTLY UNNERVED, BUT NO INJURIES. CAUSE OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE: UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: IMMEDIATELY DIALED 7700 ONE MIN AND 7600 FOR 15 MINS. PROBABLY USELESS PROC SINCE XPONDER LIGHT OUT. INACTIONS: I KNEW THE PROCS FOR ELECTRICAL FAILURE (CHK ALTERNATOR LIGHTS, ETC, ETC. IF BOTH ALTERNATOR LIGHTS OUT, SWITCH TO OTHER REGULATOR, ETC). HOWEVER, I THE ANXIETY OF THE MOMENT (WORRIED ABOUT ELECTRICAL FIRE) AND OPERATING THE ACFT VIA PILOTAGE, ETC, I FAILED TO EXECUTE THE EMER PROCS FOR ELECTRICAL FAILURE. IF I HAD, AND THE PROB WAS FAILURE OF ONE REGULATOR, I WOULDN'T BE FILLING OUT THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. ON THE OTHER HAND, INSPECTION OF THE ACFT DOWN THE ROAD MAY REVEAL EXECUTION OF ELECTRICAL EMER PROC WOULDN'T HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE. I MADE WRONG ASSUMPTION THAT LNDG GEAR LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I SHOULD HAVE MANUALLY LOCKED THE GEAR DOWN -- OR AT LEAST HAND CRANKED IT DOWN AS FAR AS IT WOULD CRANK. HOWEVER, WITH SO MANY GAUGES BLINKING ON AND OFF ALL OVER MY INST PANEL LIKE A PENNY ARCADE AND FEARFUL OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, I MADE THE DECISION TO GET THE ACFT ON THE GND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY FEARFUL THAT THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WOULD ERUPT INTO AN ELECTRICAL FIRE.

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.

Primary electrical power supply problem results in emergency declared and diversion to alternate airport. Gear collapses upon landing procedure rollout.