Incident Overview
On 31 December 2001 at 1300 UTC, a Piper PA-34-200-2 twin-engine aircraft, registration G-ELBC, was conducting a training flight at Stapleford Airfield, Essex. The aircraft, manufactured in 1972, was powered by two Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 engines. On board were an instructor and a student pilot; no passengers were carried.
Sequence of Events
After takeoff, when the landing gear was selected up, the 'Gear in Transit/Unsafe' light remained illuminated. The instructor then selected the gear down. The main landing gear indications showed 'down and locked', but no nose gear indication was present. A check via the external mirror revealed the nose gear was approximately halfway extended.
Attempts to lower the nose gear using alternative procedures were unsuccessful. The instructor decided to return to the airfield. The student was asked to move to a rear seat to shift the centre of gravity rearwards. During the downwind leg, the instructor feathered one propeller, and on short finals, confident of landing on the runway, feathered the other. A flapless landing was made to keep the nose as high as possible after touchdown. The pilot maintained the nose off the ground until the aircraft slowed to about 20 kt. As the nose settled onto the grass runway, the underside of the nosecone sustained minor damage; the propellers were undamaged. Both occupants left the aircraft without injury.
Examination Findings
Maintenance personnel discovered that the roller on the steering arm of the nose landing gear had been subjected to a lateral overload against the steering shoe, causing it to jump out of its track. The attachment bolt was also bent. This prevented the nosewheel steering mechanism from centering properly, and when the gear was retracted, the mechanism jammed, blocking both retraction and extension of the nose gear.
Further investigation by the maintenance organisation revealed that the aircraft's steering limits had been inadvertently exceeded while being towed by a tractor. In response, the maintenance organisation increased the visibility of the steering limit marks on the fuselage nose to aid tug drivers in judging turning limits during ground handling.
Aftermath
No injuries were reported. The aircraft incurred minor damage to the nosecone, nose landing gear doors, and the nose gear centering mechanism. The incident highlights the importance of proper ground handling procedures, though no causal conclusions are drawn in the source.