Private pilot lands with nose gear partially retracted.

Attributes
ACN	437729
Time
Date	199905
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : arb.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : arb.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Amateur (Home) Built
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 365 flight time type : 35
ASRS Report	437729
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After departure from arb en route to lebanon, tn (M54), nose landing gear retraction was not successful due to mechanical failure. When nose gear extension was initiated, an uncommanded right rudder was observed and extension was immediately stopped. During the 1.5 hour flight time, various attitudes and methods were tried to ensure proper nose gear extension to no avail. I made the decision to return to arb and land with the nose gear retracted as far as possible to reduce airframe damage and eliminate the possibility of human injury. I felt this a better choice than compromising the flight controls due to interference with the nose gear. Arb tower requested that I declare an emergency and land at willow run, 10 mi to the east, which I declined because I wanted the aircraft at arb for convenience of repair. This was a poor choice. I should have gone to willow run, and had them foam the runway which would have significantly reduced the minor damage that occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT LANDS WITH NOSE GEAR PARTIALLY RETRACTED.

Narrative: AFTER DEP FROM ARB ENRTE TO LEBANON, TN (M54), NOSE LNDG GEAR RETRACTION WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL DUE TO MECHANICAL FAILURE. WHEN NOSE GEAR EXTENSION WAS INITIATED, AN UNCOMMANDED R RUDDER WAS OBSERVED AND EXTENSION WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. DURING THE 1.5 HR FLT TIME, VARIOUS ATTITUDES AND METHODS WERE TRIED TO ENSURE PROPER NOSE GEAR EXTENSION TO NO AVAIL. I MADE THE DECISION TO RETURN TO ARB AND LAND WITH THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO REDUCE AIRFRAME DAMAGE AND ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF HUMAN INJURY. I FELT THIS A BETTER CHOICE THAN COMPROMISING THE FLT CTLS DUE TO INTERFERENCE WITH THE NOSE GEAR. ARB TWR REQUESTED THAT I DECLARE AN EMER AND LAND AT WILLOW RUN, 10 MI TO THE E, WHICH I DECLINED BECAUSE I WANTED THE ACFT AT ARB FOR CONVENIENCE OF REPAIR. THIS WAS A POOR CHOICE. I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO WILLOW RUN, AND HAD THEM FOAM THE RWY WHICH WOULD HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE MINOR DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED.

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.