Incident
Shortly after takeoff in day visual meteorological conditions, while climbing through 3,000 feet mean sea level, the airplane experienced a complete electrical failure. This failure affected electrical instrumentation and additional equipment, including the landing gear. The pilot reported performing the electrical failure checklists but could not restore power. After additional troubleshooting proved unsuccessful, he chose to divert to and land at another airport.
While in the traffic pattern at his diversion airport, the pilot attempted to lower the landing gear using the emergency landing gear extension procedures but could not confirm that the landing gear were down and locked. Without any capability to communicate or confirmation that the landing gear were down, he decided to leave the airport traffic pattern and land on a nearby field to avoid airport traffic. During the off-airport landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, landing gear doors, engines, and propellers.
Examination
Examination of the cockpit revealed that the landing gear's emergency engage handle, also known as the "J" handle, was not pulled up and turned. This step is listed in the airplane flight manual for the manual landing gear extension procedure. The "J" handle engages the clutch and allows the handle to operate the landing gear chain. Without engaging the "J" handle, the landing gear handle pumping action would not have worked, which resulted in the gear-up landing.
The reason for the loss of electrical power could not be determined.
Probable Cause
A total loss of electrical power for reasons that could not be determined and the pilot's subsequent failure to properly follow the manual landing gear extension procedures, which resulted in the landing gear not extending.