What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
04/07/2012 United express (colgan) flt 4915, a Dehavilland DH-8D with 31 pax and 4 crew dptd littlerock, ar for Houston Bush Intercontinental. Shortly after takeoff the master caution light illuminated and nose landing gear malfunction recognized. The flt continued and the appropriate written procedures followed as advised by maintenance. During approach procedures, the alternate gear extension was performed by the flt crew. A low approach was given to the aircraft to verify landing gear position. The doors of the NLG were confirmed opened and NLG up. The emergency procedures for a nose gear up landing were carried out and a succesful landing with minimal aircraft damage and no injuries to the 31 pax occured. Aircraft damage extended approximately four feet from the bottom of the nose radome to 18 inches aft of the NLG strut dr aft perpendicular edge and outboard 15-18 inches to each side of centerline. The damage included complete removal of the NLG wheel doors, stringers, frames and other structural members of the lower fuselage. Antennas wires and sensors were also damaged as the aircraft skid to a stop. The NTSB has reclassified this incident as an accident and is reported as such.
As the FAA filed it
04/07/2012 UNITED EXPRESS (COLGAN) FLT 4915, A DEHAVILLAND DH-8D WITH 31 PAX AND 4 CREW DPTD LITTLEROCK, AR FOR HOUSTON BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE MASTER CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND NOSE LANDING GEAR MALFUNCTION RECOGNIZED. THE FLT CONTINUED AND THE APPROPRIATE WRITTEN PROCEDURES FOLLOWED AS ADVISED BY MAINTENANCE. DURING APPROACH PROCEDURES, THE ALTERNATE GEAR EXTENSION WAS PERFORMED BY THE FLT CREW. A LOW APPROACH WAS GIVEN TO THE AIRCRAFT TO VERIFY LANDING GEAR POSITION. THE DOORS OF THE NLG WERE CONFIRMED OPENED AND NLG UP. THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR A NOSE GEAR UP LANDING WERE CARRIED OUT AND A SUCCESFUL LANDING WITH MINIMAL AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES TO THE 31 PAX OCCURED. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY FOUR FEET FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE NOSE RADOME TO 18 INCHES AFT OF THE NLG STRUT DR AFT PERPENDICULAR EDGE AND OUTBOARD 15-18 INCHES TO EACH SIDE OF CENTERLINE. THE DAMAGE INCLUDED COMPLETE REMOVAL OF THE NLG WHEEL DOORS, STRINGERS, FRAMES AND OTHER STRUCTURAL MEMBERS OF THE LOWER FUSELAGE. ANTENNAS WIRES AND SENSORS WERE ALSO DAMAGED AS THE AIRCRAFT SKID TO A STOP.THE NTSB HAS RECLASSIFIED THIS INCIDENT AS AN ACCIDENT AND IS REPORTED AS SUCH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.