On August 9, 1993, a Beech 76 (registration N3692X) operated by Flynn, Donald was involved in an aviation accident near Portland, OR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Overcenter jamming of the nose gear with the hinge pin seat along the bottom edge of the gear door fork. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot diverted to Portland International after failure to extend nose gear; landed gear-up in grass short of runway. Examination revealed overcenter jamming of the nose gear.
Incident Overview
Upon arrival at Victoria, British Columbia, the pilot was unable to extend the nose landing gear. The pilot subsequently diverted to Portland International Airport, where an attempt to extend the nose gear again proved unsuccessful. The pilot then executed a nose gear-up landing, shutting down both engines prior to touchdown. The aircraft landed hard in the grass short of Runway 28R.
Landing Gear Examination
An examination of the landing gear system was conducted. No malfunction was found with either the nose gear actuator or the hydraulic system. However, a tire imprint on the inside left nose gear door and paint abraded from the bottom edge of the gear door fork indicated that an overcenter jamming of the gear had occurred, with the hinge pin seat located along the bottom edge of the fork.
Probable cause
Overcenter jamming of the nose gear with the hinge pin seat along the bottom edge of the gear door fork.