Narrative:

I was on an IFR pleasure flight; with my family. We departed ZZZ at approximately XA00. We had activated our IFR flight plan through clearance delivery. Approximately 1 hour into the flight; while in IMC and under the control of center; we experienced a computer electrical failure. I had a backup garmin 396; with WX and a handheld transceiver onboard. A quick glance at the garmin 396 showed WX ahead of me; on my planned route of flight. Under normal conditions; this would have required various approved vectors from center. In addition; ZZZ1 is an untowered airfield. (I knew I would need confirmation of my landing gear down as I had no electrical power to indicate the position of the gear.) I elected to return to ZZZ. On the handheld transceiver; I broadcast my emergency declaration and intentions on the 121.5 frequency. My wife could not make contact with 1-800-WX-brief (my intent here was to have them contact center or connect us to center; via cell phone; but she was able to make contact with a 911 service). My wife asked this service to contact the FAA/1-800-WX-brief and advise them of our declaration and intentions. The return flight to ZZZ was accomplished at 5000 ft MSL and in IMC. When approximately 50 NM south of ZZZ; we began a careful descent out of the clouds. We used our VFR sectional chart to establish the lowest altitude we could safely descend to. In addition; I placed the garmin 395 in the terrain mode. At approximately 2900 ft MSL; we broke out of IMC into marginal VFR. Approximately 10 mins out of ZZZ we announced our declaration to ZZZ tower; using the handheld transceiver. We were cleared to the active runway; using a straight-in approach; as #2. I requested a low approach to confirm my gear was down. This was approved. During the fly-by; tower advised us our gear was not down. Tower requested their needed information; then cleared us a block of airspace west of ZZZ. We performed maneuvers; as described in the aircraft owner's manual; in the hopes of getting the gear to drop. I engaged in slow flight. I fishtailed the aircraft and I placed minor g-loads on the airframe. Tower advised us the gear had dropped. A repeat fly-by confirmed the gear were extended. We were cleared to land on the active runway. This landing occurred without incident. We taxied the aircraft to a maintenance facility and had an uneventful engine shutdown. I telephoned the tower; on my own accord; to thank them for their assistance. They advised the NTSB would be in contact with me or the aviation maintenance facility.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PILOT ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN EXPERIENCES TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT 6000 FEET. DUE TO WX AHEAD AND LANDING GEAR ISSUES WITHOUT POWER; REPORTER ELECTS TO DESCEND TO 5000 FEET AND RETURN TO DEPARTURE ARPT.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR PLEASURE FLT; WITH MY FAMILY. WE DEPARTED ZZZ AT APPROX XA00. WE HAD ACTIVATED OUR IFR FLT PLAN THROUGH CLRNC DELIVERY. APPROX 1 HR INTO THE FLT; WHILE IN IMC AND UNDER THE CTL OF CTR; WE EXPERIENCED A COMPUTER ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I HAD A BACKUP GARMIN 396; WITH WX AND A HANDHELD TRANSCEIVER ONBOARD. A QUICK GLANCE AT THE GARMIN 396 SHOWED WX AHEAD OF ME; ON MY PLANNED RTE OF FLT. UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS; THIS WOULD HAVE REQUIRED VARIOUS APPROVED VECTORS FROM CTR. IN ADDITION; ZZZ1 IS AN UNTOWERED AIRFIELD. (I KNEW I WOULD NEED CONFIRMATION OF MY LNDG GEAR DOWN AS I HAD NO ELECTRICAL PWR TO INDICATE THE POS OF THE GEAR.) I ELECTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ. ON THE HANDHELD TRANSCEIVER; I BROADCAST MY EMER DECLARATION AND INTENTIONS ON THE 121.5 FREQ. MY WIFE COULD NOT MAKE CONTACT WITH 1-800-WX-BRIEF (MY INTENT HERE WAS TO HAVE THEM CONTACT CTR OR CONNECT US TO CTR; VIA CELL PHONE; BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH A 911 SVC). MY WIFE ASKED THIS SVC TO CONTACT THE FAA/1-800-WX-BRIEF AND ADVISE THEM OF OUR DECLARATION AND INTENTIONS. THE RETURN FLT TO ZZZ WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT 5000 FT MSL AND IN IMC. WHEN APPROX 50 NM S OF ZZZ; WE BEGAN A CAREFUL DSCNT OUT OF THE CLOUDS. WE USED OUR VFR SECTIONAL CHART TO ESTABLISH THE LOWEST ALT WE COULD SAFELY DSND TO. IN ADDITION; I PLACED THE GARMIN 395 IN THE TERRAIN MODE. AT APPROX 2900 FT MSL; WE BROKE OUT OF IMC INTO MARGINAL VFR. APPROX 10 MINS OUT OF ZZZ WE ANNOUNCED OUR DECLARATION TO ZZZ TWR; USING THE HANDHELD TRANSCEIVER. WE WERE CLRED TO THE ACTIVE RWY; USING A STRAIGHT-IN APCH; AS #2. I REQUESTED A LOW APCH TO CONFIRM MY GEAR WAS DOWN. THIS WAS APPROVED. DURING THE FLY-BY; TWR ADVISED US OUR GEAR WAS NOT DOWN. TWR REQUESTED THEIR NEEDED INFO; THEN CLRED US A BLOCK OF AIRSPACE W OF ZZZ. WE PERFORMED MANEUVERS; AS DESCRIBED IN THE ACFT OWNER'S MANUAL; IN THE HOPES OF GETTING THE GEAR TO DROP. I ENGAGED IN SLOW FLT. I FISHTAILED THE ACFT AND I PLACED MINOR G-LOADS ON THE AIRFRAME. TWR ADVISED US THE GEAR HAD DROPPED. A REPEAT FLY-BY CONFIRMED THE GEAR WERE EXTENDED. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON THE ACTIVE RWY. THIS LNDG OCCURRED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE TAXIED THE ACFT TO A MAINT FACILITY AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL ENG SHUTDOWN. I TELEPHONED THE TWR; ON MY OWN ACCORD; TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE. THEY ADVISED THE NTSB WOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH ME OR THE AVIATION MAINT FACILITY.

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.