GA SMA ALTERNATOR FAILURE FOLLOWED BY PARTIAL GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative

AFTER A 7 HR XCOUNTRY; ON APCH INTO VAN NUYS ARPT AT DUSK; ALL MY ELECTRIC PWR WAS LOST. THIS WAS DUE TO AN ALTERNATOR FIELD EXCITER WIRE WHICH HAD BROKEN OFF; SOMEWHERE ALONG THE RTE. THE BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED AT A FBO IN IDAHO; BUT NEEDLESSLY. TURNS OUT; THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE OLD BATTERY; THE MECH FAILED TO TEST THE CHARGING SYS. AS A RESULT; ALL COM; LIGHTS; FLAPS; ELECTRIC; GEAR WERE LOST AND TWR BROUGHT IN WITH SIGNAL LIGHT. GEAR FAILED TO DROP DURING EMER GEAR EXTENSION; ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR FACILITY; BECAUSE IT WAS 'SLIGHTLY OUT OF RIG'. THE GEAR HAD; IN FACT; PARTIALLY DROPPED JUST PRIOR TO LOST PWR; WHEN I DROPPED GEAR LEVER. TIME OF DAY; SMELL OF ELECTRICAL 'BURNING' IN COCKPIT AND LENGTH OF XCOUNTRY ALL PLAYED A PART. A LESSER PLT WOULD NOT BE HERE TO WRITE THIS STORY. MY MAIN CONCERN WAS MY PAX -- ALL WALKED AWAY UNSCATHED. THE FAA OFFICIAL STATES IT'S ONE OF THE MOST PERFECT GEAR UP LNDGS HE HAS SEEN. I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT PART -- THE REPAIR TICKET; I DON'T. I JUST BOUGHT THE ACFT; AND COME TO FIND OUT; THE LOW VOLTAGE LIGHT WASN'T PROPERLY OPERATING -- ALL THIS HAPPENED SIMULTANEOUSLY AT THE WORLD'S BUSIEST GA ARPT -- VAN NUYS. BUYERS BEWARE!