LA25 pilot makes gear up landing on grass; after hydraulic failure; with no damage to aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	714873
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zjx.artcc
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zjx.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	LA-250
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 51 flight time total : 1650 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	714873
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On downwind for landing at jekyll island (O9J) I noticed that we had no hydraulic pressure and that the gear was not locked in either up or down position. We elected to fly to our home base where we had the necessary mechanical expertise available ZZZ. I appraised jacksonville approach of the situation. Situation #1: a direct heading from O9J to ZZZ takes us through military restr airspace. I appraised jacksonville and they cleared me through this restr airspace. Situation #2: when we arrived in ZZZ the 'a/P' we were speaking to on the radio recommended a wheels up landing on the grass strip adjoining the runway. The gear up landing was successful and the aircraft sustained no damage. I then phoned tampa approach to tell them that we had successfully landed the aircraft. This event took place at XA00 local time when the tower was closed. The aircraft was put back on its gear and taxied to the shop when it was determined that a hydraulic line had catastrophically failed. It was further determined that no damage was sustained by the aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the first indication of trouble was a lack of hydraulic pressure during preparations for landing. With the landing gear not locked up a water landing was considered very risky and this is the reason the aircraft was landed on grass.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LA25 PLT MAKES GEAR UP LNDG ON GRASS; AFTER HYD FAILURE; WITH NO DAMAGE TO ACFT.

Narrative: ON DOWNWIND FOR LNDG AT JEKYLL ISLAND (O9J) I NOTICED THAT WE HAD NO HYD PRESSURE AND THAT THE GEAR WAS NOT LOCKED IN EITHER UP OR DOWN POS. WE ELECTED TO FLY TO OUR HOME BASE WHERE WE HAD THE NECESSARY MECHANICAL EXPERTISE AVAILABLE ZZZ. I APPRAISED JACKSONVILLE APCH OF THE SIT. SIT #1: A DIRECT HDG FROM O9J TO ZZZ TAKES US THROUGH MIL RESTR AIRSPACE. I APPRAISED JACKSONVILLE AND THEY CLRED ME THROUGH THIS RESTR AIRSPACE. SIT #2: WHEN WE ARRIVED IN ZZZ THE 'A/P' WE WERE SPEAKING TO ON THE RADIO RECOMMENDED A WHEELS UP LNDG ON THE GRASS STRIP ADJOINING THE RWY. THE GEAR UP LNDG WAS SUCCESSFUL AND THE ACFT SUSTAINED NO DAMAGE. I THEN PHONED TAMPA APCH TO TELL THEM THAT WE HAD SUCCESSFULLY LANDED THE ACFT. THIS EVENT TOOK PLACE AT XA00 LCL TIME WHEN THE TWR WAS CLOSED. THE ACFT WAS PUT BACK ON ITS GEAR AND TAXIED TO THE SHOP WHEN IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A HYD LINE HAD CATASTROPHICALLY FAILED. IT WAS FURTHER DETERMINED THAT NO DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED BY THE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FIRST INDICATION OF TROUBLE WAS A LACK OF HYD PRESSURE DURING PREPARATIONS FOR LNDG. WITH THE LNDG GEAR NOT LOCKED UP A WATER LNDG WAS CONSIDERED VERY RISKY AND THIS IS THE REASON THE ACFT WAS LANDED ON GRASS.

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.