GA PIPER ARROW PLT LANDS AT BED WITH NOSE GEAR NOT DOWN.

Narrative

NOSE GEAR UP LNDG. AFTER SEVERAL HRS OF PRACTICING SOME COMMERCIAL MANEUVERS; I BEGAN A DSCNT BACK TO HANSCOM AFB; (BED) BEDFORD; MA. I WAS AT 4000 FT THE NW. I DECIDED TO DROP THE GEAR INITIALLY INSIDE THE SAFETY GEAR EXTENSION SPD TO CREATE DRAG TO LOSE SOME ALT. I NOTICED THAT THE NOSEWHEEL DOWN AND LOCKED LIGHT WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE. I TOOK THE BULB FROM THE R DOWN AND LOCKED LIGHT; PLUGGED IT INTO THE TOP SOCKET TO CHK FOR A MALFUNCTION IN THE BULB ITSELF. WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE NOSE GEAR MAY HAVE A PROB; I ATTEMPTED SEVERAL RECYCLES OF THE GEAR TO ATTEMPT TO DROP IT. UNSUCCESSFULLY; I ATTEMPTED THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION VALVE AND FULL PROCS. AGAIN UNSUCCESSFUL; I ALERTED BOS APCH; WHO THEN TURNED US OVER TO HANSCOM TWR; WHO I ALSO ALERTED. THEY REQUESTED A TWR FLY-BY. AS I FLEW PAST THE TWR; THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE NOSEWHEEL WAS BACK AT A 70 DEG ANGLE. I CIRCLED OUTSIDE OF THE TFC AREA AND SWITCHED TO BOS APCH. I ADVISED BOS THAT I WAS GOING TO TRY MANEUVERING. I TRIED YAWING AND 2 STEEP DSNDING TURNS UNDER VA. AFTER ALL CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETE; I BRIEFED MYSELF ONCE AGAIN FOR A GEAR UP LNDG WITH THE MAIN GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED. I TURNED FINAL FOR RWY 29 AT ABOUT 1000 FT AGL. I OPENED THE DOOR AND PREPARED FOR AN IMMEDIATE EVAC FOR ME AND MY PAX. I PLANNED TO PULL THE MIXTURE AT APPROX 30 FT OFF THE GND TO CUT THE ENG; WHICH I DID TO POSSIBLY REDUCE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. I PUT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO THE 'OFF' POS AND TURNED THE MASTER AND ALTERNATOR SWITCH OFF. I PROCEEDED WITH A SOFT FIELD LNDG AND HELD THE NOSE OFF THE GND AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. THE NOSE INEVITABLY HIT THE GND; THE WINDMILLING PROP IMMEDIATELY STOPPED TURNING. THE ACFT CAME TO A STANDSTILL AND WE SAFELY EVACED THE ACFT. AFTER THE INITIAL INVESTIGATION BY THE FAA; IT APPEARED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION IN THE NOSE GEAR WAS DUE TO A MISSING COTTER PIN IN THE LOCKING MECHANISM; WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE BOLT TO BACK OUT OF POS. BASED ON THE FINDINGS AT THE FBO; IT WAS STATED TO ME BY THE MGR AND MECH THAT THE COTTER PIN HAD SHEARED (PIECES STILL REMAINED IN BOLT) CAUSING THE MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE NOSE LNDG GEAR.