<< >> NASA ASRS Report 343362, August 1996

PA44 180 suffers aircraft equipment malfunction. Pilot lands with nose gear retracted, unable to use emergency extension system.

Attributes
ACN	343362
Time
Date	199608
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-44 Seminole Turbo Seminole
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	343362
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 223 flight time type : 164
ASRS Report	343391
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:

Had a nose gear unsafe indication. Had to land with the nose gear retracted. Used emergency checklist with no luck. Cause was a bent/jammed 'follow-up' rod on the left door. Supplemental information from acn 343355: suggest replacement of these rods and attachments to prevent future such occurrences. Callback conversation with reporter acn #343355 revealed the following information: reporter stated that the problem with the follow-up rod on the PA44-180 is a matter of aircraft age and metal fatigue. He didn't think that the manufacturer had allowed for the number of cycles seen on these training aircraft so far as the number of gear cycles. This aircraft in question had about 5000 hours on the follow-up rod. Reporter is a supervisor at this FBO and suggests an hourly change of the rods at about 3000 hours maximum. He had sent out an 'mrd' which is a maintenance alert to all GA users but didn't think that this process is getting the job done. He suggests an ab to the PA44 users via notification to the FAA. There has not been a satisfactory response from the manufacturer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA44 180 SUFFERS ACFT EQUIP MALFUNCTION. PLT LANDS WITH NOSE GEAR RETRACTED, UNABLE TO USE EMER EXTENSION SYS.

Narrative: HAD A NOSE GEAR UNSAFE INDICATION. HAD TO LAND WITH THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTED. USED EMER CHKLIST WITH NO LUCK. CAUSE WAS A BENT/JAMMED 'FOLLOW-UP' ROD ON THE L DOOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 343355: SUGGEST REPLACEMENT OF THESE RODS AND ATTACHMENTS TO PREVENT FUTURE SUCH OCCURRENCES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN #343355 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE PROB WITH THE FOLLOW-UP ROD ON THE PA44-180 IS A MATTER OF ACFT AGE AND METAL FATIGUE. HE DIDN'T THINK THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD ALLOWED FOR THE NUMBER OF CYCLES SEEN ON THESE TRAINING ACFT SO FAR AS THE NUMBER OF GEAR CYCLES. THIS ACFT IN QUESTION HAD ABOUT 5000 HRS ON THE FOLLOW-UP ROD. RPTR IS A SUPVR AT THIS FBO AND SUGGESTS AN HRLY CHANGE OF THE RODS AT ABOUT 3000 HRS MAX. HE HAD SENT OUT AN 'MRD' WHICH IS A MAINT ALERT TO ALL GA USERS BUT DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS PROCESS IS GETTING THE JOB DONE. HE SUGGESTS AN AB TO THE PA44 USERS VIA NOTIFICATION TO THE FAA. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER.

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.