Narrative:

I was operating IFR, mtn to roc, at 5000 ft, 22 NM south of the harrisburg VOR, when the alternator circuit breaker popped out. I consulted the checklist and performed the procedures for an alternator failure. 10 mi north of the harrisburg VOR, the circuit breaker popped again and the radios failed. I felt the wires around the alternator circuit breaker and they were warm, so I continued to williamsport airport in VFR conditions. I called 911 and explained my problem. I then performed the emergency gear extension procedures from the emergency checklist. I was given a green light gun signal and landed on runway 27. I lowered the nose slowly to ensure the nosewheel was locked while pushing on the gear emergency extension handle. The nosewheel did not lock and by the time I reacted, the propeller struck the runway. I applied power, rotated, cut power, and touched down firmly on the mains which led to the nosewheel locking. I taxied in, canceled my IFR with williamsport FSS, notified the tower, and spoke to supervisor. I later spoke to the aircraft owner and explained the situation. I contacted the FBO and asked them to check the damage to the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177RG PLT WAS UNABLE TO GET NOSE GEAR LOCKED DOWN AFTER A MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION, FOLLOWING AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: I WAS OPERATING IFR, MTN TO ROC, AT 5000 FT, 22 NM S OF THE HARRISBURG VOR, WHEN THE ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED OUT. I CONSULTED THE CHKLIST AND PERFORMED THE PROCS FOR AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE. 10 MI N OF THE HARRISBURG VOR, THE CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED AGAIN AND THE RADIOS FAILED. I FELT THE WIRES AROUND THE ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER AND THEY WERE WARM, SO I CONTINUED TO WILLIAMSPORT ARPT IN VFR CONDITIONS. I CALLED 911 AND EXPLAINED MY PROB. I THEN PERFORMED THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION PROCS FROM THE EMER CHKLIST. I WAS GIVEN A GREEN LIGHT GUN SIGNAL AND LANDED ON RWY 27. I LOWERED THE NOSE SLOWLY TO ENSURE THE NOSEWHEEL WAS LOCKED WHILE PUSHING ON THE GEAR EMER EXTENSION HANDLE. THE NOSEWHEEL DID NOT LOCK AND BY THE TIME I REACTED, THE PROP STRUCK THE RWY. I APPLIED PWR, ROTATED, CUT PWR, AND TOUCHED DOWN FIRMLY ON THE MAINS WHICH LED TO THE NOSEWHEEL LOCKING. I TAXIED IN, CANCELED MY IFR WITH WILLIAMSPORT FSS, NOTIFIED THE TWR, AND SPOKE TO SUPVR. I LATER SPOKE TO THE ACFT OWNER AND EXPLAINED THE SIT. I CONTACTED THE FBO AND ASKED THEM TO CHK THE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

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.