Incident Overview
On a night cross-country flight from Pryor, Oklahoma, to Ava, Missouri, the aircraft experienced a total electrical failure. The failure was attributed to a loose alternator belt and a depleted battery. Upon arrival at the destination, the pilot attempted to lower the landing gear using the normal extension handle. This action immediately consumed the remaining electrical power. The pilot then extended the landing gear using the emergency extension crank.
Landing and Examination
During touchdown, the nose gear collapsed and folded back into the wheel well. An examination of the landing gear system by an A&P mechanic revealed no abnormalities in either the normal or emergency extension systems. However, the mechanic found that the alternator belt was loose and the battery was depleted.
Findings
The nose gear collapse occurred despite proper operation of the emergency extension system. The underlying electrical failure was due to the loose alternator belt and depleted battery, which prevented normal gear extension and led to the loss of electrical power.