Maintenance technician reported examination and repair of the landing gear extend/retract mechanism ...

Narrative:

The information supplied by pilot/owner: after two successful landings; pilot did not get nose gear down indication. Pilot performed a fly-by for the tower. The tower indicated they saw the wheel extended; but not being familiar with the aircraft type could not verify the gear was fully deployed. After touchdown; the airspeed diminished when the crosswind component was greater than the force of the airflow on the rudder. The aircraft began to move to the downwind side of the runway. Without the nose gear steering feature fully engaged and no differential braking (hand brake). The aircraft could not be controlled directionally. The nose wheel struck a taxi light and turned the nose strut perpendicular at the aircraft longitudinal axis. The nose gear side supports bent with the side load. The aircraft came to a stop with no injuries reported. This information was gathered after the aircraft was transported to our facility and examined: the nose gear strut was removed. The gear actuator was selected and the main gear retracted and deployed normally. The nose gear actuator and indicating lights operated normally when the limit switches were operated manually. The fault has been isolated to a multi-pin electrical connector that operates the nose gear actuator and lights for the down position. Recommended action: replace connector.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Maintenance technician reported examination and repair of the landing gear extend/retract mechanism of a Colyaer Freedom that had suffered a nose gear collapse after landing without a nose gear safe indication.

Narrative: The information supplied by pilot/owner: After two successful landings; pilot did not get nose gear down indication. Pilot performed a fly-by for the Tower. The Tower indicated they saw the wheel extended; but not being familiar with the aircraft type could not verify the gear was fully deployed. After touchdown; the airspeed diminished when the crosswind component was greater than the force of the airflow on the rudder. The aircraft began to move to the downwind side of the runway. Without the nose gear steering feature fully engaged and no differential braking (hand brake). The aircraft could not be controlled directionally. The nose wheel struck a taxi light and turned the nose strut perpendicular at the aircraft longitudinal axis. The nose gear side supports bent with the side load. The aircraft came to a stop with no injuries reported. This information was gathered after the aircraft was transported to our facility and examined: The nose gear strut was removed. The gear actuator was selected and the main gear retracted and deployed normally. The nose gear actuator and indicating lights operated normally when the limit switches were operated manually. The fault has been isolated to a multi-pin electrical connector that operates the nose gear actuator and lights for the down position. Recommended action: replace connector.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	843063
Time
Date	200906
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Light Sport Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Gear Extend/Retract Mechanism
Person 1
Function	Inspector Technician
Qualification	Maintenance Inspection Authority Maintenance Powerplant Maintenance Airframe
Experience	Maintenance Lead Technician 1 Maintenance Technician 10
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Ground Excursion Runway Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control

Maintenance technician reported examination and repair of the landing gear extend/retract mechanism of a colyaer freedom that had suffered a nose gear collapse after landing without a nose gear safe indication.