A PA24-250 experienced total electrical failure after takeoff and returned to airport, landed gear u...

Attributes
ACN	639235
Time
Date	200412
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sln.airport
State Reference	KS
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3000 agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sln.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-24 Comanche
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern departure : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	639235
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters : gear up landing other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : electrical ampmeter other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : unable
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Aircraft just out of annual (5 days in facility). Flew aircraft for about 20 mins with 2 lndgs, morning prior to departure with landing incident. At about 3000 ft AGL, noticed ammeter slowly changing, then saw radio panel lights being to flicker. Tried to call tower that I was going to return, climbed to 4000 ft AGL, turned back toward tower, leveled off at 3000 ft AGL above pattern altitude, began rocking wings as flew toward tower looking for green light, which did not appear. Tried to pull panel off of deck to disengage the worm gear drive in order to drop the landing gear. Could not get the panel off, so elected to land with gear up. Went by tower again with norad maneuver -- no light. So went downwind, turned base, saw green tower lamp, descended so as to touch down with minimal forward speed. Engine remained at slow speed, so 3 bladed propeller would walk down surface and not dig in for a possible ground loop. Turned ignition off, shut off fuel, touched down in line with middle marker point, slid to stop, opened door and had passenger (wife) clear out and away, then took keys and departed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA24-250 EXPERIENCED TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AFTER TKOF AND RETURNED TO ARPT, LANDED GEAR UP.

Narrative: ACFT JUST OUT OF ANNUAL (5 DAYS IN FACILITY). FLEW ACFT FOR ABOUT 20 MINS WITH 2 LNDGS, MORNING PRIOR TO DEP WITH LNDG INCIDENT. AT ABOUT 3000 FT AGL, NOTICED AMMETER SLOWLY CHANGING, THEN SAW RADIO PANEL LIGHTS BEING TO FLICKER. TRIED TO CALL TWR THAT I WAS GOING TO RETURN, CLBED TO 4000 FT AGL, TURNED BACK TOWARD TWR, LEVELED OFF AT 3000 FT AGL ABOVE PATTERN ALT, BEGAN ROCKING WINGS AS FLEW TOWARD TWR LOOKING FOR GREEN LIGHT, WHICH DID NOT APPEAR. TRIED TO PULL PANEL OFF OF DECK TO DISENGAGE THE WORM GEAR DRIVE IN ORDER TO DROP THE LNDG GEAR. COULD NOT GET THE PANEL OFF, SO ELECTED TO LAND WITH GEAR UP. WENT BY TWR AGAIN WITH NORAD MANEUVER -- NO LIGHT. SO WENT DOWNWIND, TURNED BASE, SAW GREEN TWR LAMP, DSNDED SO AS TO TOUCH DOWN WITH MINIMAL FORWARD SPD. ENG REMAINED AT SLOW SPD, SO 3 BLADED PROP WOULD WALK DOWN SURFACE AND NOT DIG IN FOR A POSSIBLE GND LOOP. TURNED IGNITION OFF, SHUT OFF FUEL, TOUCHED DOWN IN LINE WITH MIDDLE MARKER POINT, SLID TO STOP, OPENED DOOR AND HAD PAX (WIFE) CLR OUT AND AWAY, THEN TOOK KEYS AND DEPARTED.

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 PA24-250 experienced total electrical failure after takeoff and returned to airport, landed gear up.