Incident Overview
The pilot of aircraft N9031S was advised that Nantucket Memorial Airport was operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions and subsequently decided to return toward Long Island. During the flight back, the aircraft lost radio communications, followed shortly by the loss of electrical power to the navigational equipment.
Decision to Land
Faced with these failures, the pilot decided to land before entering the New York Terminal Control Area. The pilot identified Calverton Airport as a suitable landing site. The landing gear was lowered; however, the gear indicator lights did not illuminate. The mechanical gear indicator, however, showed that the gear was down. Based on this mechanical indication, the pilot assumed the gear was locked and proceeded with the landing.
Touchdown and Gear Collapse
During touchdown, the nose and right main landing gear collapsed. The collapse resulted in damage to the aircraft.
Additional Information
The aircraft registration N9031S was involved. The sequence of events included a diversion due to IFR conditions, loss of radio and electrical power, and a subsequent precautionary landing attempt that ended with a landing gear failure.