Pilot determined after takeoff that his nose gear on the small transport twin was hanging free. Retu...

Attributes
ACN	197596
Time
Date	199112
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : m39
State Reference	AR
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : emt
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 2000 flight time type : 690
ASRS Report	197596
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After positive rate of climb established on departure from the mena airport, I raised the landing gear. I heard a low pop which sounded like someone hitting the forward bulkhead with a hammer. I looked at the nose gear check mirror located on the left engine and saw the nose gear free swinging under the airplane. I returned to the airport, had people on the ground confirm the problem. I then burned off excess fuel, returned to the airport and landed with both engines shutdown and feathered. Landing on the main wheels, I held the nose off as long as possible. As the speed bled off, the nose settled to the runway. Damage was light, no injuries, no damage to propellers. The nose strut apparently deflated during takeoff roll. It did not fully extend before retraction. It struck gear door supports when trying to enter gear well. The stress caused an actuating arm to break. A contact switch should be installed to keep the gear from retracting until the nose gear is fully extended.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DETERMINED AFTER TKOF THAT HIS NOSE GEAR ON THE SMT TWIN WAS HANGING FREE. RETURNED TO LAND WITH BOTH ENGS FEATHERED. HELD NOSE OFF AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. MINIMAL DAMAGE WHEN NOSE OF ACFT SKIDDED ON RWY AND CAME TO STOP.

Narrative: AFTER POSITIVE RATE OF CLB ESTABLISHED ON DEP FROM THE MENA ARPT, I RAISED THE LNDG GEAR. I HEARD A LOW POP WHICH SOUNDED LIKE SOMEONE HITTING THE FORWARD BULKHEAD WITH A HAMMER. I LOOKED AT THE NOSE GEAR CHK MIRROR LOCATED ON THE L ENG AND SAW THE NOSE GEAR FREE SWINGING UNDER THE AIRPLANE. I RETURNED TO THE ARPT, HAD PEOPLE ON THE GND CONFIRM THE PROBLEM. I THEN BURNED OFF EXCESS FUEL, RETURNED TO THE ARPT AND LANDED WITH BOTH ENGS SHUTDOWN AND FEATHERED. LNDG ON THE MAIN WHEELS, I HELD THE NOSE OFF AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. AS THE SPD BLED OFF, THE NOSE SETTLED TO THE RWY. DAMAGE WAS LIGHT, NO INJURIES, NO DAMAGE TO PROPS. THE NOSE STRUT APPARENTLY DEFLATED DURING TKOF ROLL. IT DID NOT FULLY EXTEND BEFORE RETRACTION. IT STRUCK GEAR DOOR SUPPORTS WHEN TRYING TO ENTER GEAR WELL. THE STRESS CAUSED AN ACTUATING ARM TO BREAK. A CONTACT SWITCH SHOULD BE INSTALLED TO KEEP THE GEAR FROM RETRACTING UNTIL THE NOSE GEAR IS FULLY EXTENDED.

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.

Pilot determined after takeoff that his nose gear on the small transport twin was hanging free. Returned to land with both engines feathered. Held nose off as long as possible. Minimal damage when nose of aircraft skidded on runway and came to stop.