What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 6, 2012 privacy data omitted was operating an LA-4, N7615L. During an approach to Palo Alto airport the aircraft developed a nose landing gear malfunction. privacy data omitted Requested visual confirmation of the nose landing gear status from ATCT. ATCT confirmed the nose landing gear had not fully extended. privacy data omitted Retracted nose landing gear and verified nose landing doors were closed by contacting ATCT and requesting their visual confirmation of the nose landing gear door. privacy data omitted Configured the aircraft for a water landing and landed on the baylands recreational water area with no damage/injuries. privacy data omitted Beached the aircraft in accordance with the manufacturer's beaching procedures. The aircraft was inspected and corrective maintenance actions were performed as per aircraft manufacturer's instructions. The aircraft was returned to service by an A&P certified mechanic. privacy data omitted Coordinated his takeoff from the baylands with the park ranger and returned to Palo Alto airport with no further problems. During the interview with privacy data omitted he stated he had approximately ¾ tank of fuel, which would allow approximately 2 ½ hrs flight time. privacy data omitted Was focused on landing at Palo Alto and did not consider other options such as a water landing at frazier Lake or sausalito which could have accommodated an amphibious landing.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 6, 2012 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS OPERATING AN LA-4, N7615L. DURING AN APPROACH TO PALO ALTO AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A NOSE LANDING GEAR MALFUNCTION. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REQUESTED VISUAL CONFIRMATION OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR STATUS FROM ATCT. ATCT CONFIRMED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR HAD NOT FULLY EXTENDED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RETRACTED NOSE LANDING GEAR AND VERIFIED NOSE LANDING DOORS WERE CLOSED BY CONTACTING ATCT AND REQUESTING THEIR VISUAL CONFIRMATION OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR DOOR. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR A WATER LANDING AND LANDED ON THE BAYLANDS RECREATIONAL WATER AREA WITH NO DAMAGE/INJURIES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BEACHED THE AIRCRAFT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S BEACHING PROCEDURES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED AND CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIONS WERE PERFORMED AS PER AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE BY AN A&P CERTIFIED MECHANIC. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ COORDINATED HIS TAKEOFF FROM THE BAYLANDS WITH THE PARK RANGER AND RETURNED TO PALO ALTO AIRPORT WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. DURING THE INTERVIEW WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HE STATED HE HAD APPROXIMATELY ¾ TANK OF FUEL, WHICH WOULD ALLOW APPROXIMATELY 2 ½ HRS FLIGHT TIME. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FOCUSED ON LANDING AT PALO ALTO AND DID NOT CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS SUCH AS A WATER LANDING AT FRAZIER LAKE OR SAUSALITO WHICH COULD HAVE ACCOMMODATED AN AMPHIBIOUS LANDING.
Other reports on N7615L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.