GA small aircraft gear up landing after complete electrical failure.

Attributes
ACN	163205
Time
Date	199011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cgf
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cgf
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 73 flight time total : 3715 flight time type : 301
ASRS Report	163205
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had just departed runway 23 at cuyahoga county airport when I had a complete electrical failure. The gear was already retracted. As I scanned the gauges, I verified that there was no electrical. I reentered the traffic pattern and got out the emergency checklist. I first reset alternators, they did not reset. I then read the emergency procedure for gear extension. Pull cbs, lower handle, pull emergency gear extention while fishtailing with rudders. I couldn't tell if the gear came down so I redid the slowing and fishtailing and pulling the gear extension. On final, after 3 passes I got a red and green light from tower. It wasn't until I could see out the window that the aircraft was lower than usual for landing that I knew the gear had not come down. Later the FAA investigated and found that the gear handle had not been pulled all the way out and that the battery was completely discharged. I'm not sure what I could have done that would have caused a better outcome.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA GEAR UP LNDG AFTER COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

Narrative: I HAD JUST DEPARTED RWY 23 AT CUYAHOGA COUNTY ARPT WHEN I HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE GEAR WAS ALREADY RETRACTED. AS I SCANNED THE GAUGES, I VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS NO ELECTRICAL. I REENTERED THE TFC PATTERN AND GOT OUT THE EMER CHKLIST. I FIRST RESET ALTERNATORS, THEY DID NOT RESET. I THEN READ THE EMER PROC FOR GEAR EXTENSION. PULL CBS, LOWER HANDLE, PULL EMER GEAR EXTENTION WHILE FISHTAILING WITH RUDDERS. I COULDN'T TELL IF THE GEAR CAME DOWN SO I REDID THE SLOWING AND FISHTAILING AND PULLING THE GEAR EXTENSION. ON FINAL, AFTER 3 PASSES I GOT A RED AND GREEN LIGHT FROM TWR. IT WASN'T UNTIL I COULD SEE OUT THE WINDOW THAT THE ACFT WAS LOWER THAN USUAL FOR LNDG THAT I KNEW THE GEAR HAD NOT COME DOWN. LATER THE FAA INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THAT THE GEAR HANDLE HAD NOT BEEN PULLED ALL THE WAY OUT AND THAT THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DISCHARGED. I'M NOT SURE WHAT I COULD HAVE DONE THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A BETTER OUTCOME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.