Narrative:

Aircraft received at ZZZ partially stripped of paint by the owner. Aircraft and landing gear prepped and painted at ZZZ. After paint; on first flight from ZZZ-ZZZ1; pilot noted noise when nose gear went up. On landing at ZZZ1; had no nose green light and nose gear collapsed on landing. It was found at ZZZ1 that the nose gear door link rods were not attached and obstructed nose gear movement. During the aircraft's time at ZZZ; I do not recall loosening the nose gear door link rods to aid in the painting. I did not specifically inspect nose gear well after painting the aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the cessna C310 was based 250 miles away from where he painted the aircraft. He has not actually seen the twin engine airplane since he painted it. He was told both propellers were damaged when the nose gear collapsed and both IO520 engines required a tear down inspection (tdi). The propellers absorbed most of the impact; with no structural damage to the nose section. Reporter stated he signed the logbook stating he painted the aircraft; removed; painted; rebalanced and reinstalled the ailerons; elevators and rudder control surfaces. He had no reason to disconnect the nose gear door link rods to accomplish the paint of the nose gear. Reporter stated there were other mechanics involved with the nose gear work. He did not sign for any final walkaround check.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER PAINTING A CESSNA C310; A LEAD MECHANIC REPORTS THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON LANDING. NOSE GEAR DOOR LINK RODS WERE NOT ATTACHED AND OBSTRUCTED NOSE GEAR MOVEMENT.

Narrative: ACFT RECEIVED AT ZZZ PARTIALLY STRIPPED OF PAINT BY THE OWNER. ACFT AND LNDG GEAR PREPPED AND PAINTED AT ZZZ. AFTER PAINT; ON FIRST FLT FROM ZZZ-ZZZ1; PLT NOTED NOISE WHEN NOSE GEAR WENT UP. ON LNDG AT ZZZ1; HAD NO NOSE GREEN LIGHT AND NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED ON LNDG. IT WAS FOUND AT ZZZ1 THAT THE NOSE GEAR DOOR LINK RODS WERE NOT ATTACHED AND OBSTRUCTED NOSE GEAR MOVEMENT. DURING THE ACFT'S TIME AT ZZZ; I DO NOT RECALL LOOSENING THE NOSE GEAR DOOR LINK RODS TO AID IN THE PAINTING. I DID NOT SPECIFICALLY INSPECT NOSE GEAR WELL AFTER PAINTING THE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE CESSNA C310 WAS BASED 250 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE HE PAINTED THE AIRCRAFT. HE HAS NOT ACTUALLY SEEN THE TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE SINCE HE PAINTED IT. HE WAS TOLD BOTH PROPS WERE DAMAGED WHEN THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND BOTH IO520 ENGINES REQUIRED A TEAR DOWN INSPECTION (TDI). THE PROPS ABSORBED MOST OF THE IMPACT; WITH NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE NOSE SECTION. REPORTER STATED HE SIGNED THE LOGBOOK STATING HE PAINTED THE AIRCRAFT; REMOVED; PAINTED; REBALANCED AND REINSTALLED THE AILERONS; ELEVATORS AND RUDDER CONTROL SURFACES. HE HAD NO REASON TO DISCONNECT THE NOSE GEAR DOOR LINK RODS TO ACCOMPLISH THE PAINT OF THE NOSE GEAR. REPORTER STATED THERE WERE OTHER MECHANICS INVOLVED WITH THE NOSE GEAR WORK. HE DID NOT SIGN FOR ANY FINAL WALKAROUND CHECK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.