PA46 pilot uses manual gear extension method after gear fails to extend normally. The nose gear does...

Attributes
ACN	734886
Time
Date	200704
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7010 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	734886
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gear lights other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was on final approach into ZZZ and when I activated the gear handle to extend the gear. There was no gear indicator lights; nor did I hear the normal gear activation sounds from the hydraulic system. I re-activated the gear handle with no success; and then followed the emergency gear extension procedures; which in the malibu is a mechanical extension handle that dumps the hydraulic pressure and allows the gear to free fall. The main gear then extended; but the nose gear light did not illuminate; indicating that it did not extend. I called the tower and informed them of my problem and requested a low approach to determine if they could see if the gear had extended at all. On the low approach; both the tower and a couple of aircraft on the ground stated that it appeared that the nose gear had extended; but that the nosewheel had not rotated to its fore and aft position; but was turned 90 degrees. I then informed the tower that I wanted to leave the immediate area in order to further diagnose the problem and rechk the emergency procedures. I performed all of the procedures again but the nosewheel gear light continued to fail to illuminate. I then informed the tower of this fact and that I would have to declare an emergency and land with the nosewheel perpendicular to the route of flight. The emergency equipment was notified and I was then cleared to land. On short final; the nose gear illuminated; and I could tell by the reduction in wind noise that the wheel had rotated to its proper fore and aft position. The subsequent landing was uneventful; and I taxied to the hangar without further problems. I was met by the emergency personnel and gave them my name; address; and telephone number; after which I secured the plane and it was towed to the hangar for further inspection and maintenance. Callback converion with reporter revealed the following information: he was not familiar with the requirement to slow below 90 KTS for the nose gear to indicate safe after a manual extension. Post revealed that the landing gear circuit breaker had failed causing the initial gear malfunction. This failure did not cause the circuit breaker to pop out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA46 PILOT USES MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION METHOD AFTER GEAR FAILS TO EXTEND NORMALLY. THE NOSE GEAR DOES NOT INDICATE SAFE UNTIL THE ACFT IS ON FINAL APPROACH.

Narrative: I WAS ON FINAL APCH INTO ZZZ AND WHEN I ACTIVATED THE GEAR HANDLE TO EXTEND THE GEAR. THERE WAS NO GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS; NOR DID I HEAR THE NORMAL GEAR ACTIVATION SOUNDS FROM THE HYD SYS. I RE-ACTIVATED THE GEAR HANDLE WITH NO SUCCESS; AND THEN FOLLOWED THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION PROCS; WHICH IN THE MALIBU IS A MECHANICAL EXTENSION HANDLE THAT DUMPS THE HYD PRESSURE AND ALLOWS THE GEAR TO FREE FALL. THE MAIN GEAR THEN EXTENDED; BUT THE NOSE GEAR LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE; INDICATING THAT IT DID NOT EXTEND. I CALLED THE TWR AND INFORMED THEM OF MY PROB AND REQUESTED A LOW APCH TO DETERMINE IF THEY COULD SEE IF THE GEAR HAD EXTENDED AT ALL. ON THE LOW APCH; BOTH THE TWR AND A COUPLE OF ACFT ON THE GND STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE NOSE GEAR HAD EXTENDED; BUT THAT THE NOSEWHEEL HAD NOT ROTATED TO ITS FORE AND AFT POS; BUT WAS TURNED 90 DEGS. I THEN INFORMED THE TWR THAT I WANTED TO LEAVE THE IMMEDIATE AREA IN ORDER TO FURTHER DIAGNOSE THE PROB AND RECHK THE EMER PROCS. I PERFORMED ALL OF THE PROCS AGAIN BUT THE NOSEWHEEL GEAR LIGHT CONTINUED TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE. I THEN INFORMED THE TWR OF THIS FACT AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DECLARE AN EMER AND LAND WITH THE NOSEWHEEL PERPENDICULAR TO THE RTE OF FLT. THE EMER EQUIP WAS NOTIFIED AND I WAS THEN CLRED TO LAND. ON SHORT FINAL; THE NOSE GEAR ILLUMINATED; AND I COULD TELL BY THE REDUCTION IN WIND NOISE THAT THE WHEEL HAD ROTATED TO ITS PROPER FORE AND AFT POS. THE SUBSEQUENT LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL; AND I TAXIED TO THE HANGAR WITHOUT FURTHER PROBS. I WAS MET BY THE EMER PERSONNEL AND GAVE THEM MY NAME; ADDRESS; AND TELEPHONE NUMBER; AFTER WHICH I SECURED THE PLANE AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE HANGAR FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND MAINT. CALLBACK CONVERION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE REQUIREMENT TO SLOW BELOW 90 KTS FOR THE NOSE GEAR TO INDICATE SAFE AFTER A MANUAL EXTENSION. POST REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR CIRCUIT BREAKER HAD FAILED CAUSING THE INITIAL GEAR MALFUNCTION. THIS FAILURE DID NOT CAUSE THE CB TO POP OUT.

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.

PA46 pilot uses manual gear extension method after gear fails to extend normally. The nose gear does not indicate safe until the aircraft is on final approach.