P180 CAPT REPORTS LANDING GEAR FAILS TO EXTEND PROPERLY AND AFTER ALL ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS HAVE FAILED; AN INTENTIONAL GEAR UP LANDING ENSUES WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE.

Date: 2007-08 · Aircraft: Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng · Phase: approach

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical

Synopsis

P180 CAPT REPORTS LANDING GEAR FAILS TO EXTEND PROPERLY AND AFTER ALL ADDITIONAL ATTEMPTS HAVE FAILED; AN INTENTIONAL GEAR UP LANDING ENSUES WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE.

Narrative

I WAS THE PNF AND HAD DESIGNATED MY FO TO BE THE PF. DURING THE APCH TO LNDG PHASE WE FOUND THE R MAIN LNDG GEAR DID NOT REACH THE FULLY EXTENDED; DOWN AND LOCKED POS. WE REQUESTED A HOLDING PATTERN TO FACILITATE BETTER ATTN TO OUR PROB. WE INVESTIGATED THE PROB; COMPLETED ALL APPLICABLE EMER CHKLISTS AND ATTEMPTED AN EMER GEAR EXTENSION PROC. DURING THIS PROCESS WE WERE IN COM WITH COMPANY MAINT CTL. THE GEAR POS DID NOT CHANGE AFTER OUR EFFORTS. UPON COMPLETION OF A CTL TWR FLY-BY; I CONSULTED THE EMER CHKLIST AND DISCUSSED OUR OPTIONS WITH MY FO. WE DECIDED OUR SAFEST OPTION WAS TO CONDUCT AN INTENTIONAL GEAR UP LNDG. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL; THE ACFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE; AND NOBODY WAS INJURED. AFTER INVESTIGATIONS; THE COMPANY HAS CONFIRMED THAT A MECHANICAL FAULT IN THE LNDG GEAR SYS CAUSED THE LNDG GEAR ANOMALY EXPERIENCED DURING OUR FLT. POSITIVE ACTIONS OF CAPT: DID NOT GET DISTR AND FULLY ABSORBED WITH LNDG GEAR LIGHT WHEN FIRST NOTICED. ENSURED FO KEPT FLYING THE AIRPLANE. RECYCLED GEAR TO SEE IF CONDITION WOULD CHANGE. CHKED FOR BURNED OUT LIGHT USING TEST SYS IN COCKPIT (ROTARY TEST SWITCH). CHKED FOR GEAR WARNING HORN WITH THE FLAPS AT MID POS; GEAR WARNING DID SOUND AND COULD NOT BE SILENCED. TERMINATED VISUAL APCH TO LNDG; REQUESTED GAR. REQUESTED HOLDING PATTERN TO ATTEND TO LNDG GEAR ANOMALY. INITIATED EMER CHKLIST PROCS ONCE ESTABLISHED IN HOLDING PATTERN. ENCOURAGED FEEDBACK AND COM FROM FO WHILE UTILIZING CHKLIST. CONTACTED COMPANY MAINT CTL AND DISCUSSED OUR ANOMALY. CHKED FUEL LOAD. STARTED COCKPIT TIMER TO MONITOR FUEL BURN AND FUEL REMAINING. REQUESTED TWR FLY-BY. NOTIFIED ATC OF LOW FUEL CONDITION. REVIEWED GEAR UP LNDG PROC VERBALLY WITH FO TO ENSURE HE WAS FULLY BRIEFED AND READY FOR THE UPCOMING EVENT. LET FO CONTINUE TO FLY WHILE I SET UP A PLAN; SOLICITED FO FEEDBACK; USED THE EMER CHKLIST; COMMUNICATED WITH COMPANY MAINT CTL AND TALKED TO ATC. POSITIVE ACTIONS OF FO. REMAINED CALM AND ALERT WHILE CONTINUING TO FLY THE ACFT. INITIATED AND SET UP A WING FUEL BALANCING PROC IN THE HOLDING PATTERN. TALKED TO ATC WHEN I WAS TALKING TO COMPANY MAINT CTL. REMINDED ME TO 'DECLARE AN EMER (FOR GOOD MEASURE). CONDUCTED AN EXCELLENT GEAR UP LNDG; TOUCHING DOWN IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE. FIRST FLT OF THE DAY; CREW WAS WELL RESTED AND FRESH. VFR WX; WITH CLR SKIES AND CALM WINDS. GOOD CREW MEMBER RAPPORT AND OPEN COM. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE? EXCELLENT KNOWLEDGE OF ACFT SPECIFIC EMER PROCS AND SYS ALLOWS FOR METHODICAL AND ACCURATE TROUBLESHOOTING OF SYS ANOMALIES. UNDERSTANDING CREW MEMBER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITH REGARDS TO CAPT AND FO; PF VERSUS PNF AND ABIDING BY SOP'S ALLOWS FOR AN EFFICIENT AND CONFUSION FREE FLT. LETTING GO OF THE NEED TO CTL; AND INSTEAD LEARNING TO TRUST FO'S IN MANAGING THEIR DUTIES CAN HELP BUILD RAPPORT; CONFIDENCE AND OPEN COM. NOT RUSHING; STAYING CALM AND TAKING YOUR TIME WHEN FACED WITH AN EMER SCENARIO INCREASES SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.