What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed fergus falls, MN to the minneapolis, MN airport (msp). On final approach the landing gear handle was positioned to the down position for landing. Pilot observed no nose down gear light. After cycling the gear select and still not getting a nose gear down and locked indication, he contacted the msp tower and received a heading and clearance to st. paul's holman field in order to conduct a fly by to ascertain the nose gear position. St. paul tower confirmed that the nose was only partially extended and was trailing at about a 45' angle. The pilot was in radio contact with his main base of operations in Bemidji and discussed his options with the chief pilot privacy data omitted they determined that the best course of action would be to attempt a wheels up landing at Bemidji's airport and that they had sufficient fuel on board to safely divert to that location. Aircraft proceeded to Bemidji's airport and landed with the main gear retracted, sustaining only minor damage to the main gear doors, one propeller tip on the right engine, two belly mounted radio antennas and a small scraped on the belly skin. Pilot was not injured. Bema has completed a mechanical reliabilityreport i/a/w their camp. End.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FERGUS FALLS, MN TO THE MINNEAPOLIS, MN AIRPORT (MSP). ON FINAL APPROACH THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS POSITIONED TO THE DOWN POSITION FOR LANDING. PILOT OBSERVED NO NOSE DOWN GEAR LIGHT. AFTER CYCLING THE GEAR SELECT AND STILL NOT GETTING A NOSE GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION, HE CONTACTED THE MSP TOWER AND RECEIVED A HEADING AND CLEARANCE TO ST. PAUL'S HOLMAN FIELD IN ORDER TO CONDUCT A FLY BY TO ASCERTAIN THE NOSE GEAR POSITION. ST. PAUL TOWER CONFIRMED THAT THE NOSE WAS ONLY PARTIALLY EXTENDED AND WAS TRAILING AT ABOUT A 45' ANGLE. THE PILOT WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH HIS MAIN BASE OF OPERATIONS IN BEMIDJI AND DISCUSSED HIS OPTIONS WITH THE CHIEF PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA ^ THEY DETERMINED THAT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO ATTEMPT A WHEELS UP LANDING AT BEMIDJI'S AIRPORT AND THAT THEY HAD SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD TO SAFELY DIVERT TO THAT LOCATION. AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO BEMIDJI'S AIRPORT AND LANDED WITH THE MAIN GEAR RETRACTED, SUSTAINING ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE MAIN GEAR DOORS, ONE PROPELLER TIP ON THE RIGHT ENGINE, TWO BELLY MOUNTED RADIO ANTENNAS AND A SMALL SCRAPED ON THE BELLY SKIN. PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. BEMA HAS COMPLETED A MECHANICAL RELIABILITYREPORT I/A/W THEIR CAMP. END.
Other reports on N55SA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.