Pilot of an small aircraft twin engine aircraft returned to land after noting an unsafe gear up indi...

Attributes
ACN	260555
Time
Date	199312
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abe
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	260555
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	260036
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At about XA10 local, I cleared small aircraft for takeoff on runway 31. Just after aircraft was instructed to contact departure pilot came back and informed me that he had a gear problem and wanted to return for landing, and did not need equipment. The pilot called back and requested equipment because of a collapsed nose gear. The pilot circled once to allow equipment to locate at appropriate position. On landing nose gear collapsed. Supplemental information from acn 260036: the oxygen filler was found way high up in the nosewheel well where grease can form, slung from nose gear. I undid the left nose door linkage to gain access to the oxygen filler and 1 popped rivet, but failed to tag it with a streamer or to make a log or discrepancy item. I was told to stay until normal quitting time disrupted getting the door pin in. There was too much work, neglected discrepancies, no jacks available, no streamers in the shop. The nose door jammed the nose gear after takeoff, on retraction, and an emergency nose-up landing was made. The pilot safe, but both propellers destroyed and nose damaged. I feel I should have tagged, streamered, recorded the disconnection of this door linkage. Better working conditions, equipment, inspection by my supervisor, a better preflight by the operator could have prevented this. I feel I was not following good maintenance practices.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA TWIN ENG ACFT RETURNED TO LAND AFTER NOTING AN UNSAFE GEAR UP INDICATION AFTER TKOF RESULTING IN THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSING.

Narrative: AT ABOUT XA10 LCL, I CLRED SMA FOR TKOF ON RWY 31. JUST AFTER ACFT WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT DEP PLT CAME BACK AND INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD A GEAR PROB AND WANTED TO RETURN FOR LNDG, AND DID NOT NEED EQUIP. THE PLT CALLED BACK AND REQUESTED EQUIP BECAUSE OF A COLLAPSED NOSE GEAR. THE PLT CIRCLED ONCE TO ALLOW EQUIP TO LOCATE AT APPROPRIATE POS. ON LNDG NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 260036: THE OXYGEN FILLER WAS FOUND WAY HIGH UP IN THE NOSEWHEEL WELL WHERE GREASE CAN FORM, SLUNG FROM NOSE GEAR. I UNDID THE L NOSE DOOR LINKAGE TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE OXYGEN FILLER AND 1 POPPED RIVET, BUT FAILED TO TAG IT WITH A STREAMER OR TO MAKE A LOG OR DISCREPANCY ITEM. I WAS TOLD TO STAY UNTIL NORMAL QUITTING TIME DISRUPTED GETTING THE DOOR PIN IN. THERE WAS TOO MUCH WORK, NEGLECTED DISCREPANCIES, NO JACKS AVAILABLE, NO STREAMERS IN THE SHOP. THE NOSE DOOR JAMMED THE NOSE GEAR AFTER TKOF, ON RETRACTION, AND AN EMER NOSE-UP LNDG WAS MADE. THE PLT SAFE, BUT BOTH PROPS DESTROYED AND NOSE DAMAGED. I FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TAGGED, STREAMERED, RECORDED THE DISCONNECTION OF THIS DOOR LINKAGE. BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS, EQUIP, INSPECTION BY MY SUPVR, A BETTER PREFLT BY THE OPERATOR COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS. I FEEL I WAS NOT FOLLOWING GOOD MAINT PRACTICES.

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 of an small aircraft twin engine aircraft returned to land after noting an unsafe gear up indication after takeoff resulting in the nosewheel collapsing.