NOSE GEAR UP LNDG OFF THE RWY ON THE GRASS IN A BE33A DAMAGES THE NOSE GEAR DOOR AND PROP AFTER AN EMER LNDG PLANNED AT BOW; FL.
Synopsis
NOSE GEAR UP LNDG OFF THE RWY ON THE GRASS IN A BE33A DAMAGES THE NOSE GEAR DOOR AND PROP AFTER AN EMER LNDG PLANNED AT BOW; FL.
Narrative
UPON RETRACTING THE LNDG GEAR AFTER TKOF ON AN INST TRAINING FLT; WE HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE YELLOW CAUTION LIGHT ABOVE THE GEAR CTL HANDLE REMAINED ILLUMINATED. AFTER RECYCLING THE GEAR LEVER TO THE DOWN POS; THE YELLOW CAUTION LIGHT STAYED ON; AND THE GREEN NOSE GEAR LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. WE ASKED THE TWR TO APPROVE A LOW PASS OVER THE RWY SO THAT THEY MIGHT OBSERVE AND RPT THE STATUS OF THE NOSE GEAR. THE TWR OPERATOR INDICATED THAT THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE STUCK AT A 45 DEG ANGLE FROM THE VERT. WE ACTIVATED THE EMER LNDG GEAR EXTENSION HANDLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCS CONTAINED IN THE POH; BUT THE NOSE GEAR GREEN LIGHT REMAINED OFF. WE REVIEWED THE PROCS FOR LNDG WITH GEAR PROBS AND DECIDED TO TOUCH DOWN ON THE SOD ADJACENT TO THE MAIN RWY. WE ACCOMPLISHED THE LNDG WITH MINIMUM DAMAGE TO THE ACFT ALTHOUGH THE NOSE GEAR WELL COVERS AND ALL 3 PROP BLADES WERE DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. AN INITIAL INSPECTION BY THE RECOVERY TEAM REVEALED THAT THE LNDG GEAR CONNECTING ROD BEARING HAD FAILED AT THE POINT WHERE THE ROD ATTACHES TO THE RETRACTION MOTOR. THAT EXPLAINS WHY THE ACTIVATION OF THE EMER LNDG GEAR EXTENSION HANDLE FAILED TO SOLVE THE PROB INITIALLY.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.