Small transport nose gear did not lock, collapsed on landing.

Attributes
ACN	189877
Time
Date	199109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : arr
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 900 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	189877
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While in the traffic pattern, gear down was selected. The down and locked light did not illuminate. The bulb in the gear position indicators were then tested and were found to be working. The landing gear was then cycled 8-10 times without success. The main gear felt as if locked down in position, and were, but the nose gear didn't sound locked. Several low passes were made by aurora tower. I made the decision to land. Prior to touchdown (300 ft AGL) I cut off the fuel to the engines via the mixture control and the fuel selector valves, turned off the magnetos and landed. Upon touchdown the nose pitched down and the aircraft (small transport) skidded down the runway. The aircraft veered left and came to rest off the left side of the runway. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. It's been determined that the push tube from the gear transmission had kinked. No answer as to why it kinked. However in talking about his problem reporter has heard of other incidents where the nose gear did not extend and lock. It hung up on the 'up lock hook.' this occurred as gear was extended in a turn. This is a very small hook and with the side load from a turn it can hang up. Reporter has decided 'no more electrical gear, he's sticking to hydraulic from now on.' analyst can only assume he is looking for different types of problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT NOSE GEAR DID NOT LOCK, COLLAPSED ON LNDG.

Narrative: WHILE IN THE TFC PATTERN, GEAR DOWN WAS SELECTED. THE DOWN AND LOCKED LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE BULB IN THE GEAR POS INDICATORS WERE THEN TESTED AND WERE FOUND TO BE WORKING. THE LNDG GEAR WAS THEN CYCLED 8-10 TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE MAIN GEAR FELT AS IF LOCKED DOWN IN POS, AND WERE, BUT THE NOSE GEAR DIDN'T SOUND LOCKED. SEVERAL LOW PASSES WERE MADE BY AURORA TWR. I MADE THE DECISION TO LAND. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN (300 FT AGL) I CUT OFF THE FUEL TO THE ENGS VIA THE MIXTURE CTL AND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES, TURNED OFF THE MAGNETOS AND LANDED. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN AND THE ACFT (SMT) SKIDDED DOWN THE RWY. THE ACFT VEERED L AND CAME TO REST OFF THE L SIDE OF THE RWY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. IT'S BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE PUSH TUBE FROM THE GEAR XMISSION HAD KINKED. NO ANSWER AS TO WHY IT KINKED. HOWEVER IN TALKING ABOUT HIS PROBLEM RPTR HAS HEARD OF OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT EXTEND AND LOCK. IT HUNG UP ON THE 'UP LOCK HOOK.' THIS OCCURRED AS GEAR WAS EXTENDED IN A TURN. THIS IS A VERY SMALL HOOK AND WITH THE SIDE LOAD FROM A TURN IT CAN HANG UP. RPTR HAS DECIDED 'NO MORE ELECTRICAL GEAR, HE'S STICKING TO HYD FROM NOW ON.' ANALYST CAN ONLY ASSUME HE IS LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROBLEMS.

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.