A socata TB20 private pilot knowingly lands his aircraft with the nose gear fully retracted when the...

Attributes
ACN	459041
Time
Date	199912
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Trinidad TB-20
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 12 flight time total : 586 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	459041
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : unable
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was on an instrument flight plan from crg to hky cruising at 5000 ft at approximately 150 KTS. I noticed my airspeed had dropped to 120 KTS and observed the red gear in transit light illuminated. I had experienced trouble with the gear on my most recent flight in the aircraft, and had my mechanics check the gear system. I was advised that the maintenance procedures performed revealed that gear was functioning properly. I observed 2 green lights illuminated indicating the main gear was down and locked, but no such indication for the nose gear. I attempted to cycle the gear and could not lower the nose gear. I could hear the gear motor operate, but the circuit breaker would open after approximately 5 seconds. I notified clt approach of my problem and made the decision to divert to clt because of longer runways and the complete emergency services available. Another aircraft was vectored by clt approach to visually inspect my aircraft and it was verified that my nose gear was not extended. I approached for a landing after attempting to use the emergency extension system without success. I touched down on runway 18L at clt after shutting the engine down on short final. After touchdown and rolling to a stop, I evacuate/evacuationed the aircraft and my 2 passenger without incident. As I arranged for repairs to be made, I realized my mechanics had not completed my annual inspection and that 26 days had elapsed since the time my inspection was due. Notwithstanding this omission, the component of the aircraft causing this incident, the landing gear system, was svced by these mechanics immediately prior to this flight. Likewise, in checking my documents, I discovered that the third class privileges of my second class medical certificate had expired on aug/xa/99. This was an inadvertent oversight on my part and I have since applied for and received a new medical certificate and believe that I met all medical certification requirements at the time of this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SOCATA TB20 PVT PLT KNOWINGLY LANDS HIS ACFT WITH THE NOSE GEAR FULLY RETRACTED WHEN THE 2 MAINS HAD PREVIOUSLY EXTENDED ON THEIR OWN VOLITION AT CLT, NC.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN INST FLT PLAN FROM CRG TO HKY CRUISING AT 5000 FT AT APPROX 150 KTS. I NOTICED MY AIRSPD HAD DROPPED TO 120 KTS AND OBSERVED THE RED GEAR IN TRANSIT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I HAD EXPERIENCED TROUBLE WITH THE GEAR ON MY MOST RECENT FLT IN THE ACFT, AND HAD MY MECHS CHK THE GEAR SYS. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE MAINT PROCS PERFORMED REVEALED THAT GEAR WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I OBSERVED 2 GREEN LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INDICATING THE MAIN GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED, BUT NO SUCH INDICATION FOR THE NOSE GEAR. I ATTEMPTED TO CYCLE THE GEAR AND COULD NOT LOWER THE NOSE GEAR. I COULD HEAR THE GEAR MOTOR OPERATE, BUT THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WOULD OPEN AFTER APPROX 5 SECONDS. I NOTIFIED CLT APCH OF MY PROB AND MADE THE DECISION TO DIVERT TO CLT BECAUSE OF LONGER RWYS AND THE COMPLETE EMER SVCS AVAILABLE. ANOTHER ACFT WAS VECTORED BY CLT APCH TO VISUALLY INSPECT MY ACFT AND IT WAS VERIFIED THAT MY NOSE GEAR WAS NOT EXTENDED. I APCHED FOR A LNDG AFTER ATTEMPTING TO USE THE EMER EXTENSION SYS WITHOUT SUCCESS. I TOUCHED DOWN ON RWY 18L AT CLT AFTER SHUTTING THE ENG DOWN ON SHORT FINAL. AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLING TO A STOP, I EVACED THE ACFT AND MY 2 PAX WITHOUT INCIDENT. AS I ARRANGED FOR REPAIRS TO BE MADE, I REALIZED MY MECHS HAD NOT COMPLETED MY ANNUAL INSPECTION AND THAT 26 DAYS HAD ELAPSED SINCE THE TIME MY INSPECTION WAS DUE. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS OMISSION, THE COMPONENT OF THE ACFT CAUSING THIS INCIDENT, THE LNDG GEAR SYS, WAS SVCED BY THESE MECHS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THIS FLT. LIKEWISE, IN CHKING MY DOCUMENTS, I DISCOVERED THAT THE THIRD CLASS PRIVILEGES OF MY SECOND CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED ON AUG/XA/99. THIS WAS AN INADVERTENT OVERSIGHT ON MY PART AND I HAVE SINCE APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED A NEW MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND BELIEVE THAT I MET ALL MEDICAL CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT.

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.

A socata TB20 private pilot knowingly lands his aircraft with the nose gear fully retracted when the 2 mains had previously extended on their own volition at clt, nc.