Narrative:

Aircraft engine was difficult to start. Mechanics helped to jump start. Normal taxi. After takeoff (300-400 ft) radios failed. Lights flashed off. No communication with tower was possible. Turned off fuel pump and lights. Engine backfired several times. Climbed on crosswind departure to 3500 ft MSL to troubleshoot. After approximately 7-8 mi from airport; decided to return to airport. Flew overhead airport at 3500 ft MSL. Descended to 2500 ft on left downwind dogleg entry to fly down runway at 2500 ft. Watched for response from tower. No response. Turned left crosswind and descended to 1000 ft on downwind; and put gear lever to down position. Turned the fuel pump switch on; and the engine backfired again. Turning base leg; I noticed the landing gear was not extending and there was no gear down light. Turned final at about 400 ft; with runway assured but with gear not extended; I planned a go around at 200 ft. Noticing no light signal from the tower; I moved throttle in about 1/2 inch and engine hesitated and backfired twice. The airport is surrounded by forest; and I was not confident that the aircraft engine would perform for a successful go around. I settled the aircraft onto the runway without the gear extended. I made smooth contact with the runway and slid to a stop. No fire or smoke. No injury to me or my 2 passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C177 PLT HAS ELECTRICAL; COM AND ENG PROBS AFTER TKOF AND ELECTS TO RETURN TO ARPT. UNABLE TO EXTEND THE LNDG GEAR WITH THE ENG MALFUNCTIONING; THE RPTR PERFORMS A GEAR UP LNDG. NO INJURIES.

Narrative: ACFT ENG WAS DIFFICULT TO START. MECHS HELPED TO JUMP START. NORMAL TAXI. AFTER TKOF (300-400 FT) RADIOS FAILED. LIGHTS FLASHED OFF. NO COM WITH TWR WAS POSSIBLE. TURNED OFF FUEL PUMP AND LIGHTS. ENG BACKFIRED SEVERAL TIMES. CLBED ON XWIND DEP TO 3500 FT MSL TO TROUBLESHOOT. AFTER APPROX 7-8 MI FROM ARPT; DECIDED TO RETURN TO ARPT. FLEW OVERHEAD ARPT AT 3500 FT MSL. DSNDED TO 2500 FT ON L DOWNWIND DOGLEG ENTRY TO FLY DOWN RWY AT 2500 FT. WATCHED FOR RESPONSE FROM TWR. NO RESPONSE. TURNED L XWIND AND DSNDED TO 1000 FT ON DOWNWIND; AND PUT GEAR LEVER TO DOWN POS. TURNED THE FUEL PUMP SWITCH ON; AND THE ENG BACKFIRED AGAIN. TURNING BASE LEG; I NOTICED THE LNDG GEAR WAS NOT EXTENDING AND THERE WAS NO GEAR DOWN LIGHT. TURNED FINAL AT ABOUT 400 FT; WITH RWY ASSURED BUT WITH GEAR NOT EXTENDED; I PLANNED A GAR AT 200 FT. NOTICING NO LIGHT SIGNAL FROM THE TWR; I MOVED THROTTLE IN ABOUT 1/2 INCH AND ENG HESITATED AND BACKFIRED TWICE. THE ARPT IS SURROUNDED BY FOREST; AND I WAS NOT CONFIDENT THAT THE ACFT ENG WOULD PERFORM FOR A SUCCESSFUL GAR. I SETTLED THE ACFT ONTO THE RWY WITHOUT THE GEAR EXTENDED. I MADE SMOOTH CONTACT WITH THE RWY AND SLID TO A STOP. NO FIRE OR SMOKE. NO INJURY TO ME OR MY 2 PAX.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.