Aircraft equipment problem. Nose gear not locking, up or down.

Attributes
ACN	318760
Time
Date	199510
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bdl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1200 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	318760
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Sudden gear warning light while climbing to cruise. I called bdl and told them I wanted to overfly for a visual inspection. They said ok and confirmed that my nose gear was not locked. I asked for a precautionary landing with engine and fuel off and they got equipment to the runway and cleared me to land. I put my front passenger in the back, told them all to put heads down and belts on and gave my wife the fire extinguisher. With full flaps I slowed to 70 KTS and just before touchdown shut the fuel and engine. I pulled back and landed on the mains. I held the nose off as long as possible and then let it gently touch down. It held. The only thing I would've done differently would have been to slow and fish-tail to try and lock the gear in advance. It turns out there was a leak in the gear hydraulics.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. NOSE GEAR NOT LOCKING, UP OR DOWN.

Narrative: SUDDEN GEAR WARNING LIGHT WHILE CLBING TO CRUISE. I CALLED BDL AND TOLD THEM I WANTED TO OVERFLY FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION. THEY SAID OK AND CONFIRMED THAT MY NOSE GEAR WAS NOT LOCKED. I ASKED FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WITH ENG AND FUEL OFF AND THEY GOT EQUIP TO THE RWY AND CLRED ME TO LAND. I PUT MY FRONT PAX IN THE BACK, TOLD THEM ALL TO PUT HEADS DOWN AND BELTS ON AND GAVE MY WIFE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. WITH FULL FLAPS I SLOWED TO 70 KTS AND JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN SHUT THE FUEL AND ENG. I PULLED BACK AND LANDED ON THE MAINS. I HELD THE NOSE OFF AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND THEN LET IT GENTLY TOUCH DOWN. IT HELD. THE ONLY THING I WOULD'VE DONE DIFFERENTLY WOULD HAVE BEEN TO SLOW AND FISH-TAIL TO TRY AND LOCK THE GEAR IN ADVANCE. IT TURNS OUT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE GEAR HYDS.

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.