Navion aircraft has split gear indication when retracting gear. It is determined that a hydraulic pr...

Attributes
ACN	363021
Time
Date	199703
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : wa38 airport : s43
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Rangemaster (Navion)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 4650 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	363021
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
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

Narrative:

Navion flight. Upon takeoff from firstair field in monroe, wa, the landing gear lights indicated a 'split gear' situation when the gear was retracted. Further cycling of the landing gear system produced no change in this indication. We then attempted to use the hand pump system, but were unsuccessful. At this point we ascertained we had lost hydraulic fluid rendering the system inoperative. We attempted to use the manual gravity system but were unsuccessful because the gear was already out, just not locked. We contacted ground personnel at firstair field for a fly-by and visual check. Ground personnel stated 'gear looked ok,' so we attempted landing at firstair field (flaps inoperative also). As soon as aircraft weight was allowed on the left main, it began to collapse. We added power and flew away. The gear lights still indicated left main not locked. Attempted high speed dive and pull-up, still no avail. Flew by at harvey airfield for another mechanical check, mechanic stated 'gear looks ok.' we felt this was an erroneous interpretation. With emergency vehicles in place, we decided to attempt landing at harvey on the grass. Approached field as slow as possible without flaps, touched down on right main gear, fuel off, mixture cut off, held left wing up until no lift, wingtip touched grass, skidded to a stop with looping left turn. No damage to aircraft or passenger (whew)!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NAVION ACFT HAS SPLIT GEAR INDICATION WHEN RETRACTING GEAR. IT IS DETERMINED THAT A HYD PROB EXISTS. MANUAL RETRACTION EXTENSION DOES NOT CHANGE INDICATIONS. LNDG MADE ON GRASS ADJACENT TO RWY WITH NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR PAX.

Narrative: NAVION FLT. UPON TKOF FROM FIRSTAIR FIELD IN MONROE, WA, THE LNDG GEAR LIGHTS INDICATED A 'SPLIT GEAR' SIT WHEN THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED. FURTHER CYCLING OF THE LNDG GEAR SYS PRODUCED NO CHANGE IN THIS INDICATION. WE THEN ATTEMPTED TO USE THE HAND PUMP SYS, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. AT THIS POINT WE ASCERTAINED WE HAD LOST HYD FLUID RENDERING THE SYS INOP. WE ATTEMPTED TO USE THE MANUAL GRAVITY SYS BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL BECAUSE THE GEAR WAS ALREADY OUT, JUST NOT LOCKED. WE CONTACTED GND PERSONNEL AT FIRSTAIR FIELD FOR A FLY-BY AND VISUAL CHK. GND PERSONNEL STATED 'GEAR LOOKED OK,' SO WE ATTEMPTED LNDG AT FIRSTAIR FIELD (FLAPS INOP ALSO). AS SOON AS ACFT WT WAS ALLOWED ON THE L MAIN, IT BEGAN TO COLLAPSE. WE ADDED PWR AND FLEW AWAY. THE GEAR LIGHTS STILL INDICATED L MAIN NOT LOCKED. ATTEMPTED HIGH SPD DIVE AND PULL-UP, STILL NO AVAIL. FLEW BY AT HARVEY AIRFIELD FOR ANOTHER MECHANICAL CHK, MECH STATED 'GEAR LOOKS OK.' WE FELT THIS WAS AN ERRONEOUS INTERP. WITH EMER VEHICLES IN PLACE, WE DECIDED TO ATTEMPT LNDG AT HARVEY ON THE GRASS. APCHED FIELD AS SLOW AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT FLAPS, TOUCHED DOWN ON R MAIN GEAR, FUEL OFF, MIXTURE CUT OFF, HELD L WING UP UNTIL NO LIFT, WINGTIP TOUCHED GRASS, SKIDDED TO A STOP WITH LOOPING L TURN. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR PAX (WHEW)!

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.

Navion aircraft has split gear indication when retracting gear. It is determined that a hydraulic problem exists. Manual retraction extension does not change indications. Landing made on grass adjacent to runway with no damage to aircraft or passenger.