A BE55 PLT MAKES A NOSE GEAR UP LNDG WHEN UNABLE TO EXTEND THE NOSE GEAR BY ANY MEANS. NIGHT OP. PLT LAUDS SIMULATOR RECURRENT TRAINING PROGRAM.

Narrative

AFTER TKOF AT NIGHT ON MAY/XA/98; NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. GEAR WAS CYCLED TWICE AND EMER LNDG GEAR EXTENSION CHKLIST WAS DONE USING THE CHKLIST STEP-BY- STEP. STILL GOT BOTH MAIN GEAR GREEN DOWN AND LOCKED LIGHTS BUT UNABLE TO GET NOSE GEAR DOWN. GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT ON FOR NOSE GEAR. I ELECTED TO RETURN TO GCY AND LAND. I EXPECTED THE NOSE GEAR WAS NOT DOWN AND LOCKED. AS AIRSPD DECAYED AFTER TOUCHDOWN; THE NOSE DRAGGED AND THE NOSE CONE CONTACTED PAVEMENT AND ACFT SKIDDED TO STOP WITH BOTH MAIN GEAR EXTENDED AND NOSE GEAR NOT EXTENDED. ENGS HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN CUT OFF AND PROPS WERE NOT DAMAGED. PLT HAD TAKEN BARON B55 COURSE EARLIER IN SAME MONTH AND HAD GONE THROUGH THE EXACT SAME SCENARIO IN BARON SIMULATOR. THIS DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF SIMULATOR/RECURRENT TRAINING IN LIGHT BUT COMPLEX GA TWIN ENG ACFT. NIGHT; SINGLE PLT; ABNORMAL OPS IN COMPLEX ACFT REQUIRE HIGH LEVEL OF CURRENCY AND RECENT TRAINING IN EMER/ABNORMAL OPS TO BE CONDUCTED SAFELY. FARS PROBABLY ARE BARE MINIMUM ON RECURRENCY TRAINING FOR LIGHT TWIN OPERATORS.