PA28 PLT SUFFERS COMPLETE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER. PROCEEDS IN VMC TO DESTINATION UTILIZING A HANDHELD TRANSCEIVER AND EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURES.

Narrative

WHILE ENRTE TO ZZZ; I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF MY AIRPLANE'S ELECTRICAL PWR. THE LOSS OCCURRED JUST W OF PROVIDENCE; RI. AT THE TIME; I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS AND RECEIVING VFR FLT FOLLOWING ADVISORIES FROM PROVIDENCE APCH. BECAUSE I WAS IN VFR CONDITIONS AND WAS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ATC WITH MY BACKUP HANDHELD TRANSCEIVER; I DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO MY DEST; NAVING VISUALLY. APCHING ZZZ; I CONTACTED THE TWR CTL FACILITY USING MY HANDHELD TRANSCEIVER AND ENTERED THE TFC PATTERN FOR RWY 11 AS INSTRUCTED. IN THE PATTERN; I EXTENDED THE LNDG GEAR USING BOTH THE AIRPLANE'S 'NORMAL' GEAR EXTENSION SWITCH AS WELL AS THE 'EMER' GEAR EXTENSION LEVER. WHILE THE AIRPLANE'S FLT CHARACTERISTICS SUGGESTED THE GEAR WAS PROPERLY EXTENDED; THE LACK OF ELECTRICAL PWR PREVENTED THE '3 GREENS' FROM ILLUMINATING IN THE COCKPIT. AS SUCH; I ASKED THE TWR TO CONFIRM VISUALLY THAT THE LNDG GEAR WAS DOWN (AND HOPEFULLY LOCKED). I EXECUTED A LOW APCH OVER THE RWY; THE TWR CTLR CONFIRMED THAT THE LNDG GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND I SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAUSE OF THE PROB IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THE INITIAL INDICATION IS THAT A FRAYED ELECTRICAL WIRE WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROB; BUT FURTHER EXAMINATION IS ONGOING. NEEDLESS TO SAY; OUR FLYING CLUB HAS TAKEN THE AIRPLANE OFF LINE WHILE THE INVESTIGATION PROCEEDS. NO PROBS WERE OBSERVED DURING THE OUTBOUND FLT THE PRIOR MORNING.