A PA32 EXPERIENCED A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE ENRTE. WITH A PORTABLE RADIO ON BOARD; THE RPTR RETURNED TO THE DEP ARPT. AN OBSERVER RPTED HIS GEAR IN THE DOWN POS HOWEVER UPON LNDG; THE GEAR COLLAPSED.
Synopsis
A PA32 EXPERIENCED A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE ENRTE. WITH A PORTABLE RADIO ON BOARD; THE RPTR RETURNED TO THE DEP ARPT. AN OBSERVER RPTED HIS GEAR IN THE DOWN POS HOWEVER UPON LNDG; THE GEAR COLLAPSED.
Narrative
AFTER CLBOUT; LEVELOFF AT 10500 FT AND ESTABLISHING CONTACT WITH ARTCC. THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A FULL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT ZLA ON MY HAND HELD RADIO; BUT DID CONTACT PARKER UNICOM WHERE WE RETURNED. I ASKED THE UNICOM TO OBSERVE A FLYBY TO WITNESS GEAR EXTENSION AS I HAD TO PERFORM AN EMER GEAR EXTENSION. AFTER OVER-FLYING THE FIELD THE UNICOM PERSONNEL INDICATED WE HAD GEAR DOWN. I MADE THE APCH AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON THE MAIN GEAR AND SLOWLY LOWERED THE NOSE. THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED AND THE PROP STRUCK THE GND; AFTER WHICH THE L MAIN COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID TO THE L. WHEN THE AIRPLANE LEFT THE RWY THE R MAIN COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID ABOUT 30 YARDS OFF THE RWY IN THE DIRT. THE POH FOR THIS AIRPLANE INDICATES THAT IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE; THE GEAR LIGHT WILL NOT OPERATE. YOU HAVE NO WAY TO KNOW IF THE GEAR IS LOCKED. A FLYBY CAN SHOW GEAR DOWN; BUT IS IT LOCKED DOWN? WITH ELECTRICAL FAILURE I WAS SURE THE ENG WOULD QUIT SOON; AND HAD TO TRUST THE FIELD OBSERVER. I THINK A BATTERY LIKE ELT AS A BACKUP WOULD SHOW THE PLT GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED IN AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.