A PA32 experienced a total electrical failure while en route. With a portable radio on board, the re...

Attributes
ACN	626818
Time
Date	200408
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : p20.airport
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-32 Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 54 flight time total : 353 flight time type : 77
ASRS Report	626818
Person 2
Function	observation : observer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After climb out, leveloff at 10500 ft and establishing contact with ARTCC. The airplane experienced a full electrical failure. I was unable to contact ZLA on my hand held radio, but did contact parker unicom where we returned. I asked the unicom to observe a flyby to witness gear extension as I had to perform an emergency gear extension. After over-flying the field the unicom personnel indicated we had gear down. I made the approach and landed the airplane on the main gear and slowly lowered the nose. The nosewheel collapsed and the propeller struck the ground, after which the left main collapsed and the airplane slid to the left. When the airplane left the runway the right main collapsed and the airplane slid about 30 yards off the runway in the dirt. The poh for this airplane indicates that if you have an electrical failure, the gear light will not operate. You have no way to know if the gear is locked. A flyby can show gear down, but is it locked down? With electrical failure I was sure the engine would quit soon, and had to trust the field observer. I think a battery like ELT as a backup would show the pilot gear down and locked in an electrical failure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA32 EXPERIENCED A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE ENRTE. WITH A PORTABLE RADIO ON BOARD, THE RPTR RETURNED TO THE DEP ARPT. AN OBSERVER RPTED HIS GEAR IN THE DOWN POS HOWEVER UPON LNDG, THE GEAR COLLAPSED.

Narrative: AFTER CLBOUT, LEVELOFF AT 10500 FT AND ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH ARTCC. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A FULL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ZLA ON MY HAND HELD RADIO, BUT DID CONTACT PARKER UNICOM WHERE WE RETURNED. I ASKED THE UNICOM TO OBSERVE A FLYBY TO WITNESS GEAR EXTENSION AS I HAD TO PERFORM AN EMER GEAR EXTENSION. AFTER OVER-FLYING THE FIELD THE UNICOM PERSONNEL INDICATED WE HAD GEAR DOWN. I MADE THE APCH AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON THE MAIN GEAR AND SLOWLY LOWERED THE NOSE. THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED AND THE PROP STRUCK THE GND, AFTER WHICH THE L MAIN COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID TO THE L. WHEN THE AIRPLANE LEFT THE RWY THE R MAIN COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID ABOUT 30 YARDS OFF THE RWY IN THE DIRT. THE POH FOR THIS AIRPLANE INDICATES THAT IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE, THE GEAR LIGHT WILL NOT OPERATE. YOU HAVE NO WAY TO KNOW IF THE GEAR IS LOCKED. A FLYBY CAN SHOW GEAR DOWN, BUT IS IT LOCKED DOWN? WITH ELECTRICAL FAILURE I WAS SURE THE ENG WOULD QUIT SOON, AND HAD TO TRUST THE FIELD OBSERVER. I THINK A BATTERY LIKE ELT AS A BACKUP WOULD SHOW THE PLT GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED IN AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

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.

A PA32 experienced a total electrical failure while en route. With a portable radio on board, the reporter returned to the departure airport. An observer reported his gear in the down position however upon landing, the gear collapsed.