BE55 pilot and pilot passenger had a complete electrical failure on a night departure.

Attributes
ACN	563086
Time
Date	200210
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lemd.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl single value : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lex.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1450 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	563086
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We departed lex on an IFR flight plan to ump. Climbed to 7000 ft on the runway heading (220 degrees). Just after gear retraction, we suffered a total electrical failure. We continued the climb on the runway heading while trying to sort out the problem. We leveled at 4500 ft in VMC while working the problem. I recommended we return to lex. The owner of the aircraft (a cfii-mei, who I was splitting time with) wanted to continue to ump. I again recommended a return to lex. He advised that he had a GPS (handheld) and would get us a heading. I turned the aircraft to an approximately heading for ump. After a few more mins, we were far enough away from lex that, not being familiar with the area, I was concerned about finding lex again -- at least we were heading for familiar territory. Upon arrival in the ump area, we manually extended the gear. We turned on the master just to see if we would get a green light to confirm the gear down and all of a sudden everything came back on! The other pilot contacted ind approach to cancel our IFR. The controller gave him a number to call when we landed. We landed normally and that ended the incident. The problem was caused by a completely mechanical issue. I believe that although I was not PIC, we probably should have returned to lex. As it was, the ceiling and visibility were very good so I saw nothing unsafe about continuing to the destination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE55 PLT AND PLT PAX HAD A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON A NIGHT DEP.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED LEX ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO UMP. CLBED TO 7000 FT ON THE RWY HDG (220 DEGS). JUST AFTER GEAR RETRACTION, WE SUFFERED A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. WE CONTINUED THE CLB ON THE RWY HDG WHILE TRYING TO SORT OUT THE PROB. WE LEVELED AT 4500 FT IN VMC WHILE WORKING THE PROB. I RECOMMENDED WE RETURN TO LEX. THE OWNER OF THE ACFT (A CFII-MEI, WHO I WAS SPLITTING TIME WITH) WANTED TO CONTINUE TO UMP. I AGAIN RECOMMENDED A RETURN TO LEX. HE ADVISED THAT HE HAD A GPS (HANDHELD) AND WOULD GET US A HDG. I TURNED THE ACFT TO AN APPROX HDG FOR UMP. AFTER A FEW MORE MINS, WE WERE FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM LEX THAT, NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT FINDING LEX AGAIN -- AT LEAST WE WERE HEADING FOR FAMILIAR TERRITORY. UPON ARR IN THE UMP AREA, WE MANUALLY EXTENDED THE GEAR. WE TURNED ON THE MASTER JUST TO SEE IF WE WOULD GET A GREEN LIGHT TO CONFIRM THE GEAR DOWN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN EVERYTHING CAME BACK ON! THE OTHER PLT CONTACTED IND APCH TO CANCEL OUR IFR. THE CTLR GAVE HIM A NUMBER TO CALL WHEN WE LANDED. WE LANDED NORMALLY AND THAT ENDED THE INCIDENT. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY A COMPLETELY MECHANICAL ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT PIC, WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE RETURNED TO LEX. AS IT WAS, THE CEILING AND VISIBILITY WERE VERY GOOD SO I SAW NOTHING UNSAFE ABOUT CONTINUING TO THE DEST.

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.