C177RG PLT WAS UNABLE TO GET NOSE GEAR LOCKED DOWN AFTER A MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION; FOLLOWING AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative

I WAS OPERATING IFR; MTN TO ROC; AT 5000 FT; 22 NM S OF THE HARRISBURG VOR; WHEN THE ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED OUT. I CONSULTED THE CHKLIST AND PERFORMED THE PROCS FOR AN ALTERNATOR FAILURE. 10 MI N OF THE HARRISBURG VOR; THE CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED AGAIN AND THE RADIOS FAILED. I FELT THE WIRES AROUND THE ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER AND THEY WERE WARM; SO I CONTINUED TO WILLIAMSPORT ARPT IN VFR CONDITIONS. I CALLED 911 AND EXPLAINED MY PROB. I THEN PERFORMED THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION PROCS FROM THE EMER CHKLIST. I WAS GIVEN A GREEN LIGHT GUN SIGNAL AND LANDED ON RWY 27. I LOWERED THE NOSE SLOWLY TO ENSURE THE NOSEWHEEL WAS LOCKED WHILE PUSHING ON THE GEAR EMER EXTENSION HANDLE. THE NOSEWHEEL DID NOT LOCK AND BY THE TIME I REACTED; THE PROP STRUCK THE RWY. I APPLIED PWR; ROTATED; CUT PWR; AND TOUCHED DOWN FIRMLY ON THE MAINS WHICH LED TO THE NOSEWHEEL LOCKING. I TAXIED IN; CANCELED MY IFR WITH WILLIAMSPORT FSS; NOTIFIED THE TWR; AND SPOKE TO SUPVR. I LATER SPOKE TO THE ACFT OWNER AND EXPLAINED THE SIT. I CONTACTED THE FBO AND ASKED THEM TO CHK THE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.