Primary finding
Probable cause
Failure of the alternator and the pilot's inadvertent descent.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot departed after midnight on the last leg of a business trip. He reported he lost electrical power after gear retraction during climb from takeoff. He used a flashlight for cockpit illumination and a mobile telephone to contact someone at the destination. Nearing the destination, he extended the landing gear manually, descended to pass over the field for a visual check of the gear, and continued troubleshooting. The airplane collided with the ground 2.5 miles north of the field. Two connections for the alternator were found loose or broken.
Source record
Factual narrative
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