PA34-200 pilot unable to get a green light for nose gear extension. Changed light bulb with no chang...

Attributes
ACN	355451
Time
Date	199611
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eyw
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-34-200 Seneca I
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 330 flight time type : 5
ASRS Report	355451
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The problem was noticed when I extended the gear and got only 2 green lights (main) with visual indication of the nose gear being down. Changing the light bulbs to check, the light bulbs yielded the same result. When power was reduced the gear warning horn sounded. 5 attempts were made to recycle the gear. With each attempt the nose gear did not move. The gear failure checklist was then followed. Even the emergency gear extension had no effect. Upon touching down on the mains and holding the nose gear off, the engines were shut off. When the nose touched down it did not hold. The airplane slid to a stop on 2 wheels and the nose. There were no injuries of the 5 people on board. The cause of this problem was the failure of the nose gear to lock into place. This I now understand is a common problem in this aircraft. Maybe a comprehensive airworthiness directive might fix the problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he contacted FAA and filed a report. He has heard nothing further. His information regarding other such failures came from the insurance adjuster who worked on the claim and from other pilots who have a great deal of experience in the PA34-200. He does not know if the FBO from whom he rented the aircraft has done any follow up with the manufacturer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA34-200 PLT UNABLE TO GET A GREEN LIGHT FOR NOSE GEAR EXTENSION. CHANGED LIGHT BULB WITH NO CHANGE. RECYCLED GEAR 5 TIMES WITH NO CHANGE. NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE ON LNDG.

Narrative: THE PROB WAS NOTICED WHEN I EXTENDED THE GEAR AND GOT ONLY 2 GREEN LIGHTS (MAIN) WITH VISUAL INDICATION OF THE NOSE GEAR BEING DOWN. CHANGING THE LIGHT BULBS TO CHK, THE LIGHT BULBS YIELDED THE SAME RESULT. WHEN PWR WAS REDUCED THE GEAR WARNING HORN SOUNDED. 5 ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO RECYCLE THE GEAR. WITH EACH ATTEMPT THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT MOVE. THE GEAR FAILURE CHKLIST WAS THEN FOLLOWED. EVEN THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION HAD NO EFFECT. UPON TOUCHING DOWN ON THE MAINS AND HOLDING THE NOSE GEAR OFF, THE ENGS WERE SHUT OFF. WHEN THE NOSE TOUCHED DOWN IT DID NOT HOLD. THE AIRPLANE SLID TO A STOP ON 2 WHEELS AND THE NOSE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OF THE 5 PEOPLE ON BOARD. THE CAUSE OF THIS PROB WAS THE FAILURE OF THE NOSE GEAR TO LOCK INTO PLACE. THIS I NOW UNDERSTAND IS A COMMON PROB IN THIS ACFT. MAYBE A COMPREHENSIVE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE MIGHT FIX THE PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE CONTACTED FAA AND FILED A RPT. HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER. HIS INFO REGARDING OTHER SUCH FAILURES CAME FROM THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER WHO WORKED ON THE CLAIM AND FROM OTHER PLTS WHO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE IN THE PA34-200. HE DOES NOT KNOW IF THE FBO FROM WHOM HE RENTED THE ACFT HAS DONE ANY FOLLOW UP WITH THE MANUFACTURER.

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.

PA34-200 pilot unable to get a green light for nose gear extension. Changed light bulb with no change. Recycled gear 5 times with no change. Nose gear collapse on landing.