Aircraft has problem extending gear. Elects to land gear up.

Attributes
ACN	189280
Time
Date	199109
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : far
State Reference	ND
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : far tower : nrt
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 52 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 52
ASRS Report	189280
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other controllera other other : unspecified other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On approach to hector international airport we attempted to lower the landing gear. The gear light indicator did not light to show a down gear. We tried to cycle the gear, the gear-up light indicator would not show an up-gear. We tried to cycle the gear manually and pump it down, we had no success. With further contact with the tower, they suggested making a low approach on runway 13, to fly by the tower so they could observe the gear in a down position. They observed that we had a main gear in a down position, but no nose gear. They had us fly in a holding pattern and try different cycling. They contacted mechanic from FBO maintenance to come out and situation at an intersection. We did several fly-bys and a low approach so he could observe the down gear position. By cycling the gear down with the pump, he indicated we had the main gear down and the nose gear down, but it did not appear that the nose gear was far enough forward in locking position. We flew east of fargo in a holding pattern, trying different suggestions from the tower, but to no avail. We flew for several hours, trying to decide what to do after our unsuccessful attempts to lower the gear. A final decision was made to land in a gear-up landing, rather than chance having the gear stuck in a down position. We decided to land on the turf between the main runway and the taxiway, after the ground crew checked the condition of the 4000 ft stretch of turf.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT HAS PROBLEM EXTENDING GEAR. ELECTS TO LAND GEAR UP.

Narrative: ON APCH TO HECTOR INTL ARPT WE ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE LNDG GEAR. THE GEAR LIGHT INDICATOR DID NOT LIGHT TO SHOW A DOWN GEAR. WE TRIED TO CYCLE THE GEAR, THE GEAR-UP LIGHT INDICATOR WOULD NOT SHOW AN UP-GEAR. WE TRIED TO CYCLE THE GEAR MANUALLY AND PUMP IT DOWN, WE HAD NO SUCCESS. WITH FURTHER CONTACT WITH THE TWR, THEY SUGGESTED MAKING A LOW APCH ON RWY 13, TO FLY BY THE TWR SO THEY COULD OBSERVE THE GEAR IN A DOWN POS. THEY OBSERVED THAT WE HAD A MAIN GEAR IN A DOWN POS, BUT NO NOSE GEAR. THEY HAD US FLY IN A HOLDING PATTERN AND TRY DIFFERENT CYCLING. THEY CONTACTED MECH FROM FBO MAINT TO COME OUT AND SIT AT AN INTXN. WE DID SEVERAL FLY-BYS AND A LOW APCH SO HE COULD OBSERVE THE DOWN GEAR POS. BY CYCLING THE GEAR DOWN WITH THE PUMP, HE INDICATED WE HAD THE MAIN GEAR DOWN AND THE NOSE GEAR DOWN, BUT IT DID NOT APPEAR THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS FAR ENOUGH FORWARD IN LOCKING POS. WE FLEW E OF FARGO IN A HOLDING PATTERN, TRYING DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS FROM THE TWR, BUT TO NO AVAIL. WE FLEW FOR SEVERAL HRS, TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO AFTER OUR UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE GEAR. A FINAL DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND IN A GEAR-UP LNDG, RATHER THAN CHANCE HAVING THE GEAR STUCK IN A DOWN POS. WE DECIDED TO LAND ON THE TURF BTWN THE MAIN RWY AND THE TAXIWAY, AFTER THE GND CREW CHKED THE CONDITION OF THE 4000 FT STRETCH OF TURF.

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.