Aviation Incident Involving Landing Gear Failure and Electrical Issues (N9536B)

Incident Overview and Pilot Report A flight instructor reported experiencing radio problems and an alternator failure after departing St. Petersburg. The instructor stated that he was unable to reset the alternator, so he turned the master switch off and continued the flight. Prior to landing, the instructor turned the master switch back on and extended the landing gear. He visually confirmed that the left gear was down but did not receive a gear light. During landing, the right main gear settled to the runway and gave way, causing the aircraft to exit the runway. The instructor stated that he never attempted to manually pump the gear down. ## Post-Crash Examination Findings An FAA inspector conducted a post-crash examination of the aircraft and found the left main gear extended and locked, the nose wheel sheared off, and the right gear collapsed into the gear well. The inspector noted that witnesses reported seeing the right main gear trailing prior to landing. The aircraft battery was found to be almost depleted of electrical energy, with the low voltage warning light on. ## Additional Technical Observations The inspector reported that thirty degrees of flaps was selected, but the flaps were extended only about 10 to 15 degrees. The manual extension pump for the landing gear was stowed, with no evidence of recent use. After supporting the aircraft and starting the engine, the inspector found no electrical problems.