Narrative:

While en route to ZZZ; I experienced a complete loss of my airplane's electrical power. The loss occurred just west of providence; ri. At the time; I was in VFR conditions and receiving VFR flight following advisories from providence approach. Because I was in VFR conditions and was able to communicate with ATC with my backup handheld transceiver; I decided to continue the flight to my destination; navigating visually. Approaching ZZZ; I contacted the tower control facility using my handheld transceiver and entered the traffic pattern for runway 11 as instructed. In the pattern; I extended the landing gear using both the airplane's 'normal' gear extension switch as well as the 'emergency' gear extension lever. While the airplane's flight characteristics suggested the gear was properly extended; the lack of electrical power prevented the '3 greens' from illuminating in the cockpit. As such; I asked the tower to confirm visually that the landing gear was down (and hopefully locked). I executed a low approach over the runway; the tower controller confirmed that the landing gear was extended and I subsequently landed without incident. The cause of the problem is under investigation. The initial indication is that a frayed electrical wire was the cause of the problem; but further examination is ongoing. Needless to say; our flying club has taken the airplane off line while the investigation proceeds. No problems were observed during the outbound flight the prior morning.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 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.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.