What happened
During a climb through 3,000 feet mean sea level under visual meteorological conditions, the aircraft experienced a total loss of electrical power. This failure impacted critical flight instrumentation and various systems, including the landing gear mechanism. The pilot attempted to follow established electrical failure checklists, but the power could not be restored through standard troubleshooting procedures.
Due to the loss of essential systems, the pilot decided to divert to a nearby airport. While maneuvering within the traffic pattern at the diversion airfield, the crew attempted to deploy the landing gear using emergency procedures. However, they were unable to verify that the gear had reached the down and locked position. Lacking the ability to communicate with air traffic control and unable to confirm the gear status, the pilot elected to exit the traffic pattern and perform an off-airport landing in a nearby field to avoid interfering with other aircraft.
The landing resulted in substantial damage to the engines, propellers, landing gear doors, and the fuselage.
Findings
Investigations into the incident revealed that the cause of the initial electrical failure remained undetermined. However, a critical error was identified regarding the emergency gear deployment. An examination of the cockpit showed that the emergency landing gear extension handle, frequently referred to as the "J" handle, had not been pulled up and rotated. This specific action is required by the flight manual to engage the clutch and allow the gear chain to operate. Because the handle was not properly engaged, the manual pumping action failed to extend the gear, resulting in the gear-up landing.