SMA PLT LOSES RADIO CONTACT; DEPARTS PATTERN. WORKS TO GET RADIO OPERATING; REESTABLISHES COM; RETURNS TO LAND; LANDS WITH NOSE GEAR UP.

Narrative

THE SMA IS A TRICYCLE GEAR ACFT WITH RETRACTABLE NOSE GEAR WHICH RETRACTS FOR IMPROVED CRUISE PERFORMANCE. THIS LNDG WAS PERFORMED AFTER A 3:15 HR FLT FROM THE W. CONTACT WITH APCH CTL WAS NORMAL EXCEPT FOR INDICATION FROM THE CTLR THAT ONLY PRIMARY TARGET AND NO TRANSPONDER WAS RECEIVED. THE PLT; BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA; INITIALLY MISTOOK HILL AFB FOR THE OGDEN ARPT AND WAS NEARLY PAST OGDEN BEFORE VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE. INITIAL RADIO CONTACT WITH OGDEN TWR WAS NORMAL AND A TURN TO FINAL WAS MADE AND BEFORE A LNDG CLRNC WAS ISSUED IT WAS APPARENT THAT RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST AFTER 3 TRIES TO CONTACT THE TWR FAILED TO RAISE A RESPONSE. UPON SEEING NO LIGHT SIGNALS AT 2 MI FINAL THE PLT EXECUTED A 180 DEG TURN TO LEAVE THE CTL ZONE AND RETRACTED HIS NOSE GEAR. CYCLED THE RADIO BY TURNING IT OFF AND BACK ON AND REESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT. UPON RECEIVING LNDG CLRNC THE PLT REESTABLISHED APCH CONFIGN EXCEPT FOR THE NOSE GEAR DEPLOYMENT. ATTN TO SPD CTL AND ATTITUDE DISTRACTED THE PLT FROM HIS FINAL LNDG CHKLIST AND THE GEAR WARNING LIGHT. THE AUDIO ALARM WAS FOUND TO BE INOP IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FLT. THIS WAS CAUSED BY CORROSION ON THE GNDING STRAP. TOUCHDOWN OF THE MAIN GEAR WAS NORMAL; FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY THE NOSE FALLING TO THE RWY AND SCRAPING AWAY A SMALL ALUMINUM PLATE (2' SQUARE); THE PARKING BUMPER AND A COSMETIC LAYER OF FIBERGLASS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE. ALTHOUGH THE DAMAGE WAS MINOR; THE EMBARRASSMENT WAS HUGE. THE ACFT NOSE WAS LIFTED AND THE SHIP WAS WHEELED OFF THE RWY ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. THE NOSE GEAR WAS LOWERED AND FUNCTIONED WELL FOR THIS PURPOSE. LOW TIME IN TYPE BY THE PIC AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN OFF NORMAL CONDITIONS WAS A LARGE CONTRIBUTOR TO THIS INCIDENT.