What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft departed harnett county (hrj) around 0930 in VFR conditions enroute to jacksonville (oaj), NC. During approach into oaj, the landing gear would not extend. The pilot contacted ATC and informed them he had a problem. They suggested he divert to Wilmington (ilm) NC since that airport was better equipped. The pilot made several fly bys and the tower confirmed no gear down. He continued to fly around to burn off fuel. He then entered the pattern for runway 6. He touched down on the over run area and slid to a stop after 150 feet. The aircraft received minor damage to two bulkheads, exhaust stacks, propeller, and some belly skin. The mechanic reported that there was no fluid on the reservoir dipstick. He serviced the power pack and reinstalled the cap. He then pumped the gear down. He had 3 green lights and the aircraft was towed to the maintenance shop. Around 6 pm, ASI tim haley arrived at the scene and observed the following. Hydraulic fluid was observed dripping from the overboard vent. Hydraulic fluid was found on the backside of the firewall by the power pack. The cap to the power pack was off. Reinstalled cap and tested its tightness, it appeared to be normal. Hydraulic fluid was found on the landing gear motor and running down the sides of the motor. Hydraulic fluid seen dripping from motor. The pilot reported that the gear breaker kept popping. Hydraulic fluid was found externally on the hydraulic power pack. All lines in the area appear to be dry and tight. The power pack is located behind the center console above the nose gear actuator. On the belly of the aircraft, there were no signs of a continual leak of hydraulic fluid. Removed panel by nose gear actuator, the hoses were 2nd quarter of 2000 and the hoses appeared to be tight, and connected. Some fluid coming from this panel, but it appears to be from the power pack located above the actuator panel. No signs of a continual leak in this area either. Summary, most likely cause is the hydraulic pump is pressurizing the reservoir and blowing the fluid out the overboard vent.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HARNETT COUNTY (HRJ) AROUND 0930 IN VFR CONDITIONS ENROUTE TO JACKSONVILLE (OAJ), NC. DURING APPROACH INTO OAJ, THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT EXTEND. THE PILOT CONTACTED ATC AND INFORMED THEM HE HAD A PROBLEM. THEY SUGGESTED HE DIVERT TO WILMINGTON (ILM) NC SINCE THAT AIRPORT WAS BETTER EQUIPPED. THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL FLY BYS AND THE TOWER CONFIRMED NO GEAR DOWN. HE CONTINUED TO FLY AROUND TO BURN OFF FUEL. HE THEN ENTERED THE PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 6. HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE OVER RUN AREA AND SLID TO A STOP AFTER 150 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE TO TWO BULKHEADS, EXHAUST STACKS, PROPELLER, AND SOME BELLY SKIN. THE MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO FLUID ON THE RESERVOIR DIPSTICK. HE SERVICED THE POWER PACK AND REINSTALLED THE CAP. HE THEN PUMPED THE GEAR DOWN. HE HAD 3 GREEN LIGHTS AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO THE MAINTENANCE SHOP. AROUND 6 PM, ASI TIM HALEY ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND OBSERVED THE FOLLOWING. HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS OBSERVED DRIPPING FROM THE OVERBOARD VENT. HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS FOUND ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE FIREWALL BY THE POWER PACK. THE CAP TO THE POWER PACK WAS OFF. REINSTALLED CAP AND TESTED ITS TIGHTNESS, IT APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS FOUND ON THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR AND RUNNING DOWN THE SIDES OF THE MOTOR. HYDRAULIC FLUID SEEN DRIPPING FROM MOTOR. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE GEAR BREAKER KEPT POPPING. HYDRAULIC FLUID WAS FOUND EXTERNALLY ON THE HYDRAULIC POWER PACK. ALL LINES IN THE AREA APPEAR TO BE DRY AND TIGHT. THE POWER PACK IS LOCATED BEHIND THE CENTER CONSOLE ABOVE THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR. ON THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT, THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF A CONTINUAL LEAK OF HYDRAULIC FLUID. REMOVED PANEL BY NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR, THE HOSES WERE 2ND QUARTER OF 2000 AND THE HOSES APPEARED TO BE TIGHT, AND CONNECTED. SOME FLUID COMING FROM THIS PANEL, BUT IT APPEARS TO BE FROM THE POWER PACK LOCATED ABOVE THE ACTUATOR PANEL. NO SIGNS OF A CONTINUAL LEAK IN THIS AREA EITHER. SUMMARY, MOST LIKELY CAUSE IS THE HYDRAULIC PUMP IS PRESSURIZING THE RESERVOIR AND BLOWING THE FLUID OUT THE OVERBOARD VENT.
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