20120607012709I

On June 7, 2012, at approximately 1635 local time (2135 UTC), the airman, holder of an airline transport pilot certificate, and pilot-in-command of a Beechcraft BE-90-C90 king air, was involved in an aircraft incident while taxiing out for departure at the Topeka forbes field (kfoe), Topeka, Kansas. The aircraft involved in this incident is owned and operated by an on-demand title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 135 air carrier; this specific repositioning flight was operated in accordance with 14 CFR part 91. The Topeka forbes field automated surface observation system (ASOS) at 1553 local time (2053 UTC) reported visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with the surface winds at 180 degrees at 18 knots gusting to 22 knots, 10 statute miles of visibility and clear skies. According to the airman's operator-specific accident/incident report, VMC conditions prevailed; the airman did not identify any environmental concerns as causal factors of this incident. The airman's written statement, submitted in conjunction with the operator's accident/incident report, details that the airman and two additional non-pilot crewmembers returned to the aircraft from inside the fixed base operation (FBO) for the reposition flight back to their domicile located at the dodge city municipal airport (kddc), dodge city, Kansas. The written statement indicates that the airman and crewmembers approached the aircraft from the rear and right side, walked behind the aircraft and entered into the cabin via the aft entry door on the left side. The airman stated that while the crewmembers approached the aircraft, a visual inspection revealed that the nose-wheel chocks had already been removed; upon engine shutdown, only nose-wheel chocks were utilized. Prior to entering the cabin via the aft air-stair door, the airman indicated that a second inspection was accomplished ensuring that the chocks were removed, and that no additional items would impede the aircraft's movement; no obstructions were observed at that time. The airman stated that upon commencing its taxi, a noise was heard; airman believed that the aircraft had taxied over the chocks. As the airman looked behind the aircraft, as viewed from the pilot's seat, the airman stated that an orange traffic cone was observed and it appeared as though the aircraft had taxied over it. The airman elected to depart kfoe for kddc. Immediately after takeoff, the airman selected the landing gear handle to the, "up," position however the gear in-transit/un-safe gear indication remained illuminated. The airman attempted to lower the landing gear by selecting the landing gear handle to the, "down," position however there was no change in the aircraft's configuration; the gear in-transit/un-safe gear indication remained illuminated. Due primarily to the prevailing VMC meteorological conditions, combined with the fact that this flight was a 14 CFR part 91 repositioning flight, the airman elected to lower the landing gear via the manual/emergency extension procedure and fly the aircraft to the wichita mid-continent airport (kict) where aircraft maintenance could be performed by the operator. The aircraft landed at kict without incident and was released to the operator's maintenance department, by the airman, for inspection and repair upon completion of the required maintenance discrepancy log. A post-incident inspection revealed that the aircraft sustained minor damage resulting from the orange traffic cone being initially struck by the right propeller causing the cone to subsequently impact the right side nose-gear door. The resultant damage to the nose-gear door impeded with normal gear retraction inevitably causing the initial un-safe gear indication; no aircraft engine anomalies were noted by the airman. The airman and the additional non-pilot crewmembers were uninjured. Throughout the entire event, the airman did not request, nor was priority handling provided; an emergency was n