C177 PLT HAD GENERATOR FAILURE IN FXE CLASS D AIRSPACE.

Narrative

DURING DEP LNDG GEAR RETRACTION; THE ELECTRICAL SYS FAILED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE THE LNDG GEAR WAS IN TRANSIT. THIS LEFT THE GEAR IN THE UNSAFE STATE. USING A HAND-HELD TRANSCEIVER; THE PNF INFORMED THE TWR OF THE SIT. THE 2 PLTS ASSESSED THE SIT AND ELECTED TO HAVE THE TWR INSPECT THE GEAR DURING A LOW APCH. DURING THE LOW APCH; THE TWR RPTED THAT THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE FULLY EXTENDED. AFTER THE LOW APCH; THE PLTS SUCCESSFULLY EXTENDED THE LNDG GEAR USING THE CHKLIST EMER GEAR EXTENSION PROC. DURING THE SECOND LOW APCH; THE TWR RPTED THAT THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN. A LNDG CLRNC AND EMER GND EQUIP WERE REQUESTED. THE PLTS COMPLETED THE EMER CHKLISTS. THE AIRPLANE LANDED SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT PHYSICAL DAMAGE OR INJURY TO THE OCCUPANTS. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION: THE ACFT HAD BEEN IDLE FOR APPROX 1 MONTH BEFORE THIS FLT. DURING PREFLT; IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DISCHARGED. AN APU WAS REQUIRED TO START THE AIRPLANE. IN THE PNF'S OPINION; THE BATTERY HAD FAILED AND THE ACFT'S ELECTRICAL SYS WAS OPERATING EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE ALTERNATOR. WITHOUT BATTERY; THE HIGH CURRENT DEMAND ON THE ELECTRICAL SYS IMPOSED BY INITIAL GEAR RETRACTION COULD NOT BE SUSTAINED BY THE ALTERNATOR. THIS EVENT MOST LIKELY CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO FAIL. THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE ACFT'S ELECTRICAL SYS WAS THOROUGHLY EVALUATED AND PROPERLY REPAIRED BY AN AVIATION MAINT TECHNICIAN BEFORE THE FLT.