Pilot of small transport unable to down and lock nose gear. Landed aircraft in grass off runway. No ...

Attributes
ACN	178489
Time
Date	199105
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ftg
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 1270 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	178489
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During a return flight from north platte, northeast, I noticed the gear up light had gone out. A glance in the mirror on left engine nacelle indicated a partially extended nose gear. I placed gear handle up and gear came up and locked (all green out and gear up light on) momentarily. Light went out. I slowed to about 130 mph and put gear lever in down position and began manual hydraulic pumping. I was able to get main gear down, but not nose gear. After continuous pumping for 10-15 mins, I pulled the emergency CO2 extension system, but the nose still did not extend to a locked position. I landed off runway, parallel to runway 26 at ftg, with no injuries to myself or any damage to objects or person(south) on the ground. Damage was confined to propellers and nose of my small transport. Initial preliminary investigation points to a hydraulic line rupture, losing all fluid overboard. At no time was I apprehensive about my ability to bring the aircraft to a safe landing as the flight conditions were excellent and the airport personnel were on hand with emergency equipment, if it had been needed. I elected to land off the runway to further reduce any risk of fire. All fuel was shut off and engines stopped when aircraft nosed over. I am reporting this only as an incident under my understanding of the NTSB rules.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMT UNABLE TO DOWN AND LOCK NOSE GEAR. LANDED ACFT IN GRASS OFF RWY. NO INJURIES. ACFT NOSED OVER AND DAMAGED PROPELLER.

Narrative: DURING A RETURN FLT FROM NORTH PLATTE, NE, I NOTICED THE GEAR UP LIGHT HAD GONE OUT. A GLANCE IN THE MIRROR ON LEFT ENG NACELLE INDICATED A PARTIALLY EXTENDED NOSE GEAR. I PLACED GEAR HANDLE UP AND GEAR CAME UP AND LOCKED (ALL GREEN OUT AND GEAR UP LIGHT ON) MOMENTARILY. LIGHT WENT OUT. I SLOWED TO ABOUT 130 MPH AND PUT GEAR LEVER IN DOWN POS AND BEGAN MANUAL HYD PUMPING. I WAS ABLE TO GET MAIN GEAR DOWN, BUT NOT NOSE GEAR. AFTER CONTINUOUS PUMPING FOR 10-15 MINS, I PULLED THE EMER CO2 EXTENSION SYS, BUT THE NOSE STILL DID NOT EXTEND TO A LOCKED POS. I LANDED OFF RWY, PARALLEL TO RWY 26 AT FTG, WITH NO INJURIES TO MYSELF OR ANY DAMAGE TO OBJECTS OR PERSON(S) ON THE GND. DAMAGE WAS CONFINED TO PROPS AND NOSE OF MY SMT. INITIAL PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION POINTS TO A HYD LINE RUPTURE, LOSING ALL FLUID OVERBOARD. AT NO TIME WAS I APPREHENSIVE ABOUT MY ABILITY TO BRING THE ACFT TO A SAFE LNDG AS THE FLT CONDITIONS WERE EXCELLENT AND THE ARPT PERSONNEL WERE ON HAND WITH EMER EQUIP, IF IT HAD BEEN NEEDED. I ELECTED TO LAND OFF THE RWY TO FURTHER REDUCE ANY RISK OF FIRE. ALL FUEL WAS SHUT OFF AND ENGS STOPPED WHEN ACFT NOSED OVER. I AM RPTING THIS ONLY AS AN INCIDENT UNDER MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE NTSB RULES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Pilot of small transport unable to down and lock nose gear. Landed aircraft in grass off runway. No injuries. Aircraft nosed over and damaged propeller.