Light twin engine aircraft lands gear up after electrical failure.

Attributes
ACN	113412
Time
Date	198906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : alo
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ffo
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 63 flight time total : 988 flight time type : 561
ASRS Report	113412
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was climbing to IFR altitude when I noticed the electrical system was starting to fail. I was approximately 20-30 mi south of waterloo, ia and had no contact with departure. I did a 180 turn and descended down thru the clouds towards the airport. Approximately 3-4 mi from the tower I was given a green light, continued on to land. At this point I was still getting intermittent electrical power, so I put the gear in the down position and thought I heard it lock at that time (I was on short final). I looked at the tower and was still getting a steady green. It was not until just before touchdown that the gear was not down, but at that point I was way below rotation speed and felt it was safer to belly it in than to try a go around. I feel that the tower should have given me a red light to indicate my gear was not down. The cause of the power failure is not known at this time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIGHT TWIN ENGINE ACFT LANDS GEAR UP AFTER ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: I WAS CLIMBING TO IFR ALT WHEN I NOTICED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS STARTING TO FAIL. I WAS APPROX 20-30 MI S OF WATERLOO, IA AND HAD NO CONTACT WITH DEP. I DID A 180 TURN AND DESCENDED DOWN THRU THE CLOUDS TOWARDS THE ARPT. APPROX 3-4 MI FROM THE TWR I WAS GIVEN A GREEN LIGHT, CONTINUED ON TO LAND. AT THIS POINT I WAS STILL GETTING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL POWER, SO I PUT THE GEAR IN THE DOWN POSITION AND THOUGHT I HEARD IT LOCK AT THAT TIME (I WAS ON SHORT FINAL). I LOOKED AT THE TWR AND WAS STILL GETTING A STEADY GREEN. IT WAS NOT UNTIL JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN THAT THE GEAR WAS NOT DOWN, BUT AT THAT POINT I WAS WAY BELOW ROTATION SPEED AND FELT IT WAS SAFER TO BELLY IT IN THAN TO TRY A GO AROUND. I FEEL THAT THE TWR SHOULD HAVE GIVEN ME A RED LIGHT TO INDICATE MY GEAR WAS NOT DOWN. THE CAUSE OF THE POWER FAILURE IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.