Super King Air 200
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 21; Flight Crew Total 4300; Flight Crew Type 2300
Human-Machine Interface; Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors
On climb out experienced loss of both PFD's and MFD on Garmin G-1000 glass panel along with autopilot disconnect. For 2-3 minutes prior had avionics cooling fan failure alert along with 2-3 other avionic component intermittent failure alerts. While assessing alerts all displays shutdown with no NAV/COM. Reverted to back up gages and hand flying. Since it was not IMC [I] elected to return to departure airport using wet compass for navigation. Used cell phone to contact FBO to relay message to Tower of situation and intention to land entering left downwind for active runway. Gear would not lower so began manual extension. When used push to test gear down light found lights inoperative and realized had lost all electrical. Checked generator switches and found I had failed to turn both generators on after ground power start resulting in battery depletion. Reset generators and recovered electrical and NAV/COMs. Contacted Tower and landed without further incident. Personal assessment of contributing causes: Pilot failed to turn generators on after ground power start and being distracted trying to get attention of line personnel to disconnect ground power. Not adhering to check list due to long time familiarization with airplane and systems. In recurrent simulator training always did battery start procedure. Although pilot was legally current practical competency may not have been at optimum level due to low flight hours in past few weeks. Use of sunglasses in bright light may have dimmed recognition of annunciator panel lights. Avionics standby backup battery did not function although armed. Later tested and found would not hold charge; reason under evaluation.
BE20 pilot reports electrical failure shortly after takeoff with loss of G1000 and communications. The electrical failure is not initially detected but when discovered it is determined that the generators were never turned on after engine starting with a ground power cart.