Narrative:

The flight was initiated under VFR. The airplane was rockwell commander (112TC); and the purpose of the flight was personal with no passenger. About 10 mins into the flight; a normal visual approach for a landing was started about 5 mi northeast of ZZZ. The landing information was obtained from a pilot who was on the ground at that time. During the descent to a 45 degree entry to the runway 32; the landing gear selector was lowered for the extension. Although the main landing gear were extended normally to the down/locked position with the confirmation of 2 green lights; the nose gear failed; which was confirmed by the red annunciator (gear/intermittent position) light and no green light; the bulb of which was functioning after the test. A normal approach was followed up to the downwind leg while the emergency procedures such as pressure release and high 'G' pull-ups; to assist to extend the gear prescribed in the checklist were being performed. At this point; the normal landing pattern was abandoned and radio contact was tried to call up ground personnel for assistance. The airport operation personnel from ZZZ responded and 1 low fly-by was performed to visually check the gear condition. They confirmed that the nose gear was up position. After the intention to land at ZZZ was stated; the airport operator called for the equipment and it was decided to circle until the fuel level became lower. About 2 hours worth of fuel was left at the landing. The airport was closed for other traffic during the incident. Landing was started after performing 1 more low fly-by and the emergency gear extension procedure. A normal soft-field landing procedure was carried out. The fuel selector valve was turned into the 'off' position over the numbers and the throttle and mixture control was retarded during the flare. After the touchdown; the airplane nose was gradually coming onto the runway surface. There were obvious damages on the propeller tips; under cowling; and nose gear doors. After the local authority/authorized permitted to move the airplane; it was towed to the FBO on the field. The mechanics inspected the nose gear; which was still in up position; gear door; and actuator visually but no abnormality was found. Then extension/retraction of the gear was tried on the jacks. The main and nose gear functioned normally several times and responded properly to the emergency extension. No abnormality was found.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROCKWELL COMMANDER'S NOSEWHEEL WILL NOT EXTEND AND A GEAR UP LNDG RESULTS.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS INITIATED UNDER VFR. THE AIRPLANE WAS ROCKWELL COMMANDER (112TC); AND THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS PERSONAL WITH NO PAX. ABOUT 10 MINS INTO THE FLT; A NORMAL VISUAL APCH FOR A LNDG WAS STARTED ABOUT 5 MI NE OF ZZZ. THE LNDG INFO WAS OBTAINED FROM A PLT WHO WAS ON THE GND AT THAT TIME. DURING THE DSCNT TO A 45 DEG ENTRY TO THE RWY 32; THE LNDG GEAR SELECTOR WAS LOWERED FOR THE EXTENSION. ALTHOUGH THE MAIN LNDG GEAR WERE EXTENDED NORMALLY TO THE DOWN/LOCKED POS WITH THE CONFIRMATION OF 2 GREEN LIGHTS; THE NOSE GEAR FAILED; WHICH WAS CONFIRMED BY THE RED ANNUNCIATOR (GEAR/INTERMITTENT POS) LIGHT AND NO GREEN LIGHT; THE BULB OF WHICH WAS FUNCTIONING AFTER THE TEST. A NORMAL APCH WAS FOLLOWED UP TO THE DOWNWIND LEG WHILE THE EMER PROCS SUCH AS PRESSURE RELEASE AND HIGH 'G' PULL-UPS; TO ASSIST TO EXTEND THE GEAR PRESCRIBED IN THE CHKLIST WERE BEING PERFORMED. AT THIS POINT; THE NORMAL LNDG PATTERN WAS ABANDONED AND RADIO CONTACT WAS TRIED TO CALL UP GND PERSONNEL FOR ASSISTANCE. THE ARPT OP PERSONNEL FROM ZZZ RESPONDED AND 1 LOW FLY-BY WAS PERFORMED TO VISUALLY CHK THE GEAR CONDITION. THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS UP POS. AFTER THE INTENTION TO LAND AT ZZZ WAS STATED; THE ARPT OPERATOR CALLED FOR THE EQUIP AND IT WAS DECIDED TO CIRCLE UNTIL THE FUEL LEVEL BECAME LOWER. ABOUT 2 HRS WORTH OF FUEL WAS LEFT AT THE LNDG. THE ARPT WAS CLOSED FOR OTHER TFC DURING THE INCIDENT. LNDG WAS STARTED AFTER PERFORMING 1 MORE LOW FLY-BY AND THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION PROC. A NORMAL SOFT-FIELD LNDG PROC WAS CARRIED OUT. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS TURNED INTO THE 'OFF' POS OVER THE NUMBERS AND THE THROTTLE AND MIXTURE CTL WAS RETARDED DURING THE FLARE. AFTER THE TOUCHDOWN; THE AIRPLANE NOSE WAS GRADUALLY COMING ONTO THE RWY SURFACE. THERE WERE OBVIOUS DAMAGES ON THE PROP TIPS; UNDER COWLING; AND NOSE GEAR DOORS. AFTER THE LCL AUTH PERMITTED TO MOVE THE AIRPLANE; IT WAS TOWED TO THE FBO ON THE FIELD. THE MECHS INSPECTED THE NOSE GEAR; WHICH WAS STILL IN UP POS; GEAR DOOR; AND ACTUATOR VISUALLY BUT NO ABNORMALITY WAS FOUND. THEN EXTENSION/RETRACTION OF THE GEAR WAS TRIED ON THE JACKS. THE MAIN AND NOSE GEAR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY SEVERAL TIMES AND RESPONDED PROPERLY TO THE EMER EXTENSION. NO ABNORMALITY WAS FOUND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.