C421 LANDED LBB WITH PARTIALLY EXTENDED NOSE WHEEL.

Narrative

FLT DEPARTED LBB; 1 SOUL ON BOARD; AND FUEL FOR TRIP; PLUS IFR RESERVE TO FORT WORTH ALLIANCE AND RUIDOSO; NM. IFR FLT PLAN FILED; VMC WX PREVAILED FOR ENTIRE TRIP. ON DEP; NO GEAR PROBS WERE NOTED. GEAR LIGHTS AND VISUAL MIRROR INDICATED GEAR UP AND LOCKED. FIRST INDICATION OF A PROB WAS WHEN ON FINAL CLRED TO LAND ALLIANCE. LNDG CHKLIST COMPLETED. APCH PWR; SPD AND FLAPS WERE ACCOMPLISHED AS PER LNDG CHKLIST. ON APPROX 4 MI FINAL; GEAR HANDLE WAS PLACED IN DOWN POS. IMMEDIATELY A LOUD POP WAS HEARD; AND NOSE GEAR DOORS WERE OPEN WITH ABOUT 1/3 OF NOSE TIRE OBSERVED. GEAR WAS THEN RECYCLED; AND AGAIN; NOSE GEAR FAILED TO PROPERLY EXTEND. CIRCLING THE ARPT; THE TWR OBSERVED THE NOSE GEAR PARTIALLY VISIBLE. ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT RECYCLING THE GEAR WAS ACCOMPLISHED; WHICH ALSO FAILED TO EXTEND THE NOSE GEAR. THE EMER CHKLIST WAS AGAIN REVIEWED AND AN ATTEMPT TO EXTEND IT; USING THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION PROC; WAS INITIATED. THIS ATTEMPT ALSO FAILED TO FULLY EXTEND THE NOSE GEAR. THE MAIN GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. AT THIS TIME; THE DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO LBB WITH THE MAIN GEAR EXTENDED. GIVING CONSIDERATION TO FUEL ON BOARD AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF FIRE ON LNDG; THE DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO LBB. NO MORE DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED DURING THE RETURN FLT. A FLY-BY; BY LBB TWR INDICATED A PARTIALLY EXTENDED NOSE GEAR. HAVING MORE FUEL THAT COULD BE BURNED OFF DUE TO ECONOMY CRUISE TO LBB; I HELD TO THE NE OF LBB; AWAY FROM TFC FOR APPROX 25 MINS. AFTER REVIEWING THE EMER CHKLIST; LNDG WITH MAIN GEAR; DEFECTIVE NOSE GEAR; LNDG WAS THEN INITIATED ON RWY 26. TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE ON MAIN GEAR. AFTER ELEVATOR CTL DIMINISHED; THE ACFT NOSE WAS LOWERED TO PARTIALLY EXTENDED NOSE GEAR. ACFT SLID TO A STOP APPROX 150 FT. NO INJURIES OR FIRE ENSUED AT THIS TIME. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE TO AVOID THIS INCIDENT.