What happened
During a series of touch-and-go maneuvers at MDS, the pilot of a Cessna (type not specified) experienced an issue where the nose gear would not extend properly. After realizing the gear remained retracted, the pilot diverted to MML. During a fly-by at MML, ground personnel observed that the nose gear tire appeared to be cocked inside the gear well.
The pilot made several unsuccessful attempts to lower the nose gear before proceeding with the landing. Ultimately, the pilot landed in the grass adjacent to the runway with the main gear extended and the nose gear remaining retracted. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the incident, and there were no injuries reported.
The investigation
Following the accident, an investigation was conducted to determine why the nose gear failed to extend. Investigators performed operational checks of the landing gear retraction and extension mechanisms; however, these tests were normal and the investigators could not duplicate the problem.