ATX PLT MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WHEN ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM MALFUNCTION OF NOSE LNDG GEAR CREATES AN EMER SITUATION.

Date: 1991-10 · Aircraft: Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Recip Eng

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|conflict-ground-conflict|critical

Synopsis

ATX PLT MAKES PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WHEN ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM MALFUNCTION OF NOSE LNDG GEAR CREATES AN EMER SITUATION.

Narrative

I WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 33L AT BOSTON LOGAN; BY BOS APCH. I WAS ON A 4 MI L BASE FOR RWY 33L WHEN I CONTACTED BOS TWR. AFTER CONTACTING THE TWR I REACHED FOR THE GEAR HANDLE; AND PUT IT IN DOWN POS. I THEN HEARD A LOUD BANG NOISE FROM THE NOSE AND I ONLY GOT 2 GREEN LIGHTS. MAIN GEAR ONLY. I CHKED THE BULB FOR THE NOSE GEAR AND FOUND THAT WORKING. AFTER RECYCLING THE GEAR 2 TIMES THE NOSE GEAR STILL WOULDN'T COME DOWN. I THEN ASKED THE TWR FOR A R 270 DEG TO TRY TO RETRACT THE GEAR MANUALLY. AFTER COMPLETING THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION CHKLIST; I STILL HAD NO NOSE GEAR INDICATION. I THEN ASKED THE TWR FOR A FLYBY; IN CASE THE GEAR WAS DOWN. AFTER FLYING BY THE TWR; THE CTLR TOLD ME THE NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN; BUT HE COULDN'T SAY IF IT WAS LOCKED OR NOT. HE THEN CLRED ME TO LAND AT RWY 33L. THE WINDS WERE LIGHT SO I ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WANTED AN OTHER RWY; SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO CLOSE THE ARPT. HE CLRED ME TO LAND AT 4L. WHEN I CROSSED THRESHOLD I FEATHERED BOTH PROPS TO SAVE THE ENG; AND CLOSED THE THROTTLES AND MIXTURE. I LANDED ON BOTH MAINS HELD THE NOSE UP AS LONG AS I COULD. SOFT FIELD LNDG TECHNIQUE. WHEN THE NOSE AND THE PROPS HIT THE GND; WE SKIDDED APPROX 100 FT BEFORE STOPPING. I WAS ON THE CENTERLINE ALL THE TIME. THE DAMAGE WAS 2 OUT OF THE 3 BLADES BENT; AND THE FRONT OF THE NOSE WAS SCRAPED. I DO NOT HAVE THE RPT OF WHAT ACTUALLY CAUSED THIS INCIDENT. TO GET THE GEAR DOWN; USING THE EMER SYS; YOU HAVE TO 'CRANK' IT DOWN. YOU ONLY BYPASS THE MOTOR. I THINK THAT IF THE EMER SYS HAD ITS OWN LINKAGE; I COULD HAVE LANDED WITH THE NOSE GEAR DOWN.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.