History of the Flight
The aircraft, a Beech 76 Duchess registered as G-GCCL, was conducting a training flight on 9 November 2014. During the flight, the crew selected the landing gear lever to the down position. While the main landing gear extended successfully, the nose landing gear failed to extend. The nose gear transit light remained illuminated, and the green down-and-locked indicator did not illuminate. A visual check confirmed that the nose landing gear was still retracted.
The flight crew cycled the landing gear lever and operated the emergency gear deployment system, but the nose gear did not extend. They also attempted to lower the gear by manoeuvring to increase normal acceleration, but these efforts were unsuccessful.
The crew decided to divert to Cambridge Airport due to its long runway, wind direction, and fire service capability. While holding at 4,000 ft to burn fuel, they briefed for the landing, secured loose items, and tightened their harnesses. Before the approach, they flew past the tower for a visual confirmation of the main landing gear position.
A long approach to Runway 23 was flown with full flap and reduced engine power to assess glide performance. Once landing was assured, the engines were shut down and the propellers feathered. The left propeller stopped almost horizontal; the student pilot briefly operated the right engine starter to align its propeller horizontally to prevent potential damage. The magnetos, alternator, and battery were then turned off.
The aircraft touched down on its main wheels, and the nose was held up as long as possible before it contacted the runway. The aircraft came to a halt, and both crew exited without injury.
Previous Events and Maintenance
The aircraft manufacturer issued Safety Communique 76-91 in May 1989, noting previous events of nose landing gear extension issues on this type. Service Instruction (SI) No 1209 (May 1983) and Mandatory Service Bulletin (SB) No 2310 (October 1989) called for modifications to reduce binding of nose gear doors or linkages and for lubrication of hinges every 60 days. The operator confirmed embodiment of these directives and that the last lubrication was on 27 October 2014. Retraction and rigging checks were performed during the last annual inspection on 4 August 2014. The operator stated that doors are checked at all inspections for freedom of movement and lubricated, with extra attention to the pin and fork on the landing gear. Doors are disconnected and reconnected at annual and 150-hour inspections, and retraction checks are carried out.
Aircraft Examination
After the event, the aircraft was jacked. The operator reported that the nose landing gear appeared to be resting on the closed doors. With manual assistance, the doors opened and the gear extended. The aircraft was recovered to a hangar, but no further examination was conducted, so the reason why the nose landing gear did not extend could not be established. The operator was made aware of previous possible causes and confirmed they would assess the aircraft damage accordingly.