Incident Overview
On September 19, 2008, at 1603 central daylight time, a Cessna 172RG, registration N6416V, operated by an airline transport certificated pilot, was substantially damaged during a gear-up landing at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in St. Louis, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the personal flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries.
Sequence of Events
The pilot departed on a local flight at 1250. Shortly after departure, he noted a "landing gear problem." He notified the air traffic control tower, which confirmed that the main landing gear was extended but the nose landing gear was not. The pilot then discussed the situation with "Skyline" over the radio and flew the airplane for approximately three hours to burn off fuel. During this time, he made numerous attempts to pump down the landing gear without success.
Upon returning to the airport, the pilot attempted three touch-and-go landings in an effort to jolt the nose gear down. Ultimately, he elected to land with the landing gear retracted, resulting in the gear-up landing.
Damage Examination
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane, the damage to the fuselage extended through the skin and into the bulkhead, requiring major repair. Further inspection revealed that the nose gear door was jammed, preventing the nose landing gear from extending.
Maintenance History
An examination of the maintenance records showed that the day prior to the accident, the airplane had undergone maintenance directly related to the landing gear door and damage to the door lip. The mechanic performed two gear swings without issue, and the airplane was returned to service with the intent to repair the gear door damage during the next annual inspection in October.