PA-24 Comanche
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 900; Flight Crew Type 250
Troubleshooting; Distraction; Human-Machine Interface
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Excursion Runway
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft; Human Factors
I had performed two takeoffs and landings and on the third takeoff; right after retracting the gear; I lost all electrical power. I was in the pattern at a towered airport. I reached in the back seat and got my handheld radio; dialed in the Tower frequency and notified the Tower of my problem. They asked my intentions and I said I'd like to go back and forth over the airport while using the emergency gear extension procedure. I followed the procedure but had difficulty getting the gear down. I could use the bar in the cockpit to retract the gear but not lower it. After many attempts and at least 2 fly bys of the Tower for them to check visually; I was finally able to lower the gear.At some point the electrical power came back (the airplane has a generator instead of an alternator) and I put my headset back on. Performed landing but kept my foot on the landing gear bar in the cockpit to ensure the gear stayed down and locked during landing but this made it almost impossible to retract flaps (that I had deployed) or to use the hand brake (there are no toe brakes in the plane). While doing this I went off the runway and onto the grass. I was able to stop the plane and roll onto the taxi way. The Tower said to taxi back to the east ramp where I parked.
Following the temporary loss of electrical power and subsequent difficulty utilizing the emergency landing gear extension procedure of his PA24-180; the pilot was unable to prevent the aircraft from exiting the runway during the landing. He rolled onto a taxiway and no damage resulted.