What happened
Upon returning to the airport from a local area personal flight, the pilot of the aircraft was unable to obtain a down-and-locked indication for the nose landing gear. During the incident, the airport manager observed the aircraft and informed the pilot that all three landing gear appeared to be in the down position. The manager suggested that the pilot check the indicator light bulb and continue circling the field until the fire department arrived on scene.
The pilot agreed to this plan and subsequently performed a landing in a grass area situated between the runway and the taxiway. Although the terrain in this area was rough and uneven, the landing gear remained down and locked throughout the landing roll. The occupants were not injured during the event.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft was conducted to determine why the nose landing gear indication failed. Investigators discovered that the nose landing gear micro-switch was out of adjustment, which caused the incorrect cockpit indication.