Incident Overview
An aircraft on a post-maintenance test flight returned to the airport when the nose landing gear failed to extend. The pilot elected to perform a precautionary landing on a dirt runway that offered the most favorable wind conditions. During the approach, the pilot shut down the engine on short final, and the resulting glide was insufficient to reach the runway. The aircraft touched down in rough and uneven terrain approximately 50 feet short of the intended landing area.
Examination Findings
A post-incident examination of the aircraft determined that the nose landing gear downlock spring had failed. This failure jammed the nose gear in the retracted position, preventing its extension. No other contributing factors were identified, and the aircraft sustained damage from the off-runway landing.
Operational Sequence
After noting the landing gear anomaly, the pilot identified a dirt runway that provided the best wind alignment for the precautionary landing. The decision to shut down the engine on short final was made, but the remaining glide energy did not allow the aircraft to reach the runway threshold. The aircraft came to rest in uneven terrain just short of the runway.