Narrative:

On nov/tue/03 I violated VFR 135.65(B). I departed abi on a part 135 cargo flight. After takeoff and in the climb, I noticed the gear light was not illuminated. After testing the lights and seeing what I thought was the nose gear down through the spinner, I requested from abi approach to return to the airport. I then requested a low approach from the tower to verify that my nose gear was not retracted. I was told by the tower that it appeared to be down. I then requested left traffic to land on runway 35L. I then lowered the gear and with 3 green lights landed without any problem on runway 35L. As I taxied in, I was met by a fire truck that I had not requested. After signing a report for the fireman I inspected the nose gear and found no problems that I could see. I then phoned the dispatch office and talked to a mechanic. After informing the on-duty mechanic, I was called by the director of maintenance. He told me that he had been having problems with this plane and its nose gear. He said it had been overhauled the previous week and seemed to not go up 1 out of 3 times. He then told me to go ahead and fly it and try the gear again and if it did not go up to leave it and continue with the nose gear down. He stated it would be better to fly with one down then with 3 down. I then called the operations manager and informed her of the situation. After talking to the operations manager and director of maintenance, I departed for my destination, unaware of the violation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT FLING A PA60 ON A PART 135 CARGO TRIP HAS PROB WITH NOSE GEAR NOT RETRACTING. AFTER RETURNING AND CHKING THE GEAR, THE PLT IS TOLD BY HIS DIRECTOR OF MAINT IF THE PROB OCCURS AGAIN TO FLY THE ACFT WITH THE NOSE GEAR DOWN.

Narrative: ON NOV/TUE/03 I VIOLATED VFR 135.65(B). I DEPARTED ABI ON A PART 135 CARGO FLT. AFTER TKOF AND IN THE CLB, I NOTICED THE GEAR LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. AFTER TESTING THE LIGHTS AND SEEING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE NOSE GEAR DOWN THROUGH THE SPINNER, I REQUESTED FROM ABI APCH TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. I THEN REQUESTED A LOW APCH FROM THE TWR TO VERIFY THAT MY NOSE GEAR WAS NOT RETRACTED. I WAS TOLD BY THE TWR THAT IT APPEARED TO BE DOWN. I THEN REQUESTED L TFC TO LAND ON RWY 35L. I THEN LOWERED THE GEAR AND WITH 3 GREEN LIGHTS LANDED WITHOUT ANY PROB ON RWY 35L. AS I TAXIED IN, I WAS MET BY A FIRE TRUCK THAT I HAD NOT REQUESTED. AFTER SIGNING A RPT FOR THE FIREMAN I INSPECTED THE NOSE GEAR AND FOUND NO PROBS THAT I COULD SEE. I THEN PHONED THE DISPATCH OFFICE AND TALKED TO A MECH. AFTER INFORMING THE ON-DUTY MECH, I WAS CALLED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MAINT. HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BEEN HAVING PROBS WITH THIS PLANE AND ITS NOSE GEAR. HE SAID IT HAD BEEN OVERHAULED THE PREVIOUS WK AND SEEMED TO NOT GO UP 1 OUT OF 3 TIMES. HE THEN TOLD ME TO GO AHEAD AND FLY IT AND TRY THE GEAR AGAIN AND IF IT DID NOT GO UP TO LEAVE IT AND CONTINUE WITH THE NOSE GEAR DOWN. HE STATED IT WOULD BE BETTER TO FLY WITH ONE DOWN THEN WITH 3 DOWN. I THEN CALLED THE OPS MGR AND INFORMED HER OF THE SIT. AFTER TALKING TO THE OPS MGR AND DIRECTOR OF MAINT, I DEPARTED FOR MY DEST, UNAWARE OF THE VIOLATION.

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.