What happened
On December 16, 2025, a Beech 58, registration LV-IWF, was performing a non-commercial pleasure flight at Don Martín Miguel de Güemes International Airport (SASA) in Salta, Argentina. Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, while the pilot was entering the landing pattern and extending the landing gear, the green indication light for the nose gear failed to illuminate, signaling that the gear was not down and locked.
Upon visually confirming that the nose gear remained in the up position, the pilot attempted to recycle the system using normal operating modes. When this failed, the pilot initiated the emergency manual extension procedure multiple times. While the main landing gear deployed successfully, the nose gear remained retracted, with the red warning light indicating movement or an unsafe state.
After notifying the tower, the pilot executed an emergency landing following the procedures outlined in the aircraft'-s flight manual. During the short final approach, the pilot shut down both engines. The aircraft touched down smoothly in a nose-up attitude, and the nose gear eventually descended under the aircraft's own weight after the plane had stopped. All five occupants evacuated the aircraft without injuries, and the aircraft sustained minor damage.
The investigation
The JST investigation focused on the failure of the nose landing gear system. Investigators examined the mechanical state of the gear and the effectiveness of the emergency deployment procedures. Physical evidence showed that the nose wheel had made contact with the interior of the nose gear bay during the landing process.