# Incident 20130822016879I: Beech F33A, Johnstown, PA, August 22, 2013

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 22, 2013, 14:55 local time
- Place: Johnstown, PA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.3261° N, 78.9191° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Johnstown, PA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3261&lon=-78.9191&mi=10
- Aircraft: N303LD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N303LD-2018-07-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech F33A (registry code 1151425, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-f33a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH F33A
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 BB SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130822016879I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

N303LD DEPARTED BEDFORD COUNTY AIRPORT, (KHMZ) AND PRIOR TO LANDING, THE PILOT EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR. THE NOSE GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND. A DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND AT JOHNSTOWN AIRPORT, (KJST) AS THE AIRPORT IS BETTER EQUIPPED FOR EMERGENCIES. UPON LANDING AT JOHNSTOWN, DAMAGE CONSISTED OF THREE BENT PROPELLER BLADE TIPS, DEFORMATION OF THE LEFT LOWER ENGINE COWLING, MINOR NOSE LANDING GEAR DOOR DAMAGE, NOSE LANDING GEAR EXTENSION/RETRACTION TUBE SEPARATION, AND FUSELAGE RIB DAMAGE CAUSED BY FAILURE OF THE EXTENSION/RETRACTION NOSE GEAR PUSH PULL TUBE.  FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A PIECE OF THE AIRCRAFT TOW BAR HAD REMAINED INSIDE THE NOSE WHEEL AXLE AFTER THE TOW BAR WAS REMOVED. IN FLIGHT, THE REMAINING PIECE OF TOW BAR WORKED ITSELF PARTIALLY OUT OF THE AXLE AND JAMMED THE NOSE GEAR IN THE WHEEL WELL. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AT BEDFORD, THE GROUND HANDLING PERSON REMOVED THE TOWBAR AFTER POSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT AND ONE PIECE OF THE TOW BAR REMAINED IN THE AXLE. THE DESIGN OF THE TOW BAR IS SUCH THAT AFTER LOOSENING A HANDLE USED TO INSERT THE TWO PIECE TOW BAR INTO THE AXLE, PART OF THE TOW BAR CAN SEPARATE RESULTING IN INTERFERENCE WITH EXTENSION AND RETRACTION OF THE NOSE GEAR. IN ADDITION THE PIECE OF TOW BAR THAT REMAINS IN THE AXLE CANNOT BE SEEN DURING A TYPICAL PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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