Piper arrow pilots have nose landing gear malfunction and make a precautionary nose gear up landing.

Attributes
ACN	572188
Time
Date	200301
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	572188
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters : gear up landing
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : nose gear indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were in a piper arrow practicing commercial maneuvers. When we extended the gear, our nosewheel didn't lock down. First, we tried switching bulbs and extending the emergency gear lever. When it was clear our nosewheel was not down and locked, we went to the airport to get assistance from the mechanics on the ground. After an hour or more of troubleshooting, we began to prepare for a nosewheel up landing. Some of the things we tried were recycling the gear, yawing the airplane, extending the gear at various airspds with both the emergency lever and normal extension procedures, and performing each of the suggestions listed in the afm. We made our landing with the mains down and locked and a dangling nose gear. We cut the fuel and mixture 200 ft AGL and landed on the longest runway available. There were no injuries and minimal aircraft damage. Initial inspection indicates spring attached to nosewheel broke in-flight due to metal fatigue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER ARROW PLTS HAVE NOSE LNDG GEAR MALFUNCTION AND MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY NOSE GEAR UP LNDG.

Narrative: WE WERE IN A PIPER ARROW PRACTICING COMMERCIAL MANEUVERS. WHEN WE EXTENDED THE GEAR, OUR NOSEWHEEL DIDN'T LOCK DOWN. FIRST, WE TRIED SWITCHING BULBS AND EXTENDING THE EMER GEAR LEVER. WHEN IT WAS CLEAR OUR NOSEWHEEL WAS NOT DOWN AND LOCKED, WE WENT TO THE ARPT TO GET ASSISTANCE FROM THE MECHS ON THE GND. AFTER AN HR OR MORE OF TROUBLESHOOTING, WE BEGAN TO PREPARE FOR A NOSEWHEEL UP LNDG. SOME OF THE THINGS WE TRIED WERE RECYCLING THE GEAR, YAWING THE AIRPLANE, EXTENDING THE GEAR AT VARIOUS AIRSPDS WITH BOTH THE EMER LEVER AND NORMAL EXTENSION PROCS, AND PERFORMING EACH OF THE SUGGESTIONS LISTED IN THE AFM. WE MADE OUR LNDG WITH THE MAINS DOWN AND LOCKED AND A DANGLING NOSE GEAR. WE CUT THE FUEL AND MIXTURE 200 FT AGL AND LANDED ON THE LONGEST RWY AVAILABLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND MINIMAL ACFT DAMAGE. INITIAL INSPECTION INDICATES SPRING ATTACHED TO NOSEWHEEL BROKE INFLT DUE TO METAL FATIGUE.

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.