20160910017119I

On September 10, 2016, about 0922 eastern daylight time, a Beech, V35B, N6658K, sustained minor damage during a nose landing gear collapse on touchdown at Laurence g. Hanscom field airport (bed), Bedford, Massachusetts. The private pilot onboard was not injured. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 with an instrument flight rules flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

According to federal aviation administration (FAA) air traffic control (ATC) data, the pilot departed runway 5 (5,107 feet by 150 feet, asphalt) and shortly thereafter declared an emergency. At 1315:49 (hhmm:ss), the pilot informed the tower controller that he believed that his nose wheel tire had just blown up. Having then agreed to come back around and land, the pilot proceeded to setup for landing on runway 5. At 1317:38, the pilot told the tower controller that he could not decide whether to drop the gear or not. The tower controller replied with ?gear appears down sir.? At 1319:40 the pilot informed the tower controller that ?it appears my gear might be down. I can?t manually extend it.? At 1319:51 the tower controller asked the pilot if his landing gear was manually extended now. The pilot replied with the following statement: ?my gear is stuck. I can?t manually extend it. I?m going to do a circle so I can come in straight and slow. You said the gear was down?? The tower controller replied with ?gear appears down at this time.? At 1320:55 the tower controller cleared the flight to land runway 5.

A postincident interview with the pilot supported the information obtained from the ATC voice data. Additionally, the pilot confirmed that all three landing gear down and locked lights were green prior to landing on runway 5.

A postincident examination of the runway revealed numerous slash marks that were consistent with propeller blades striking the asphalt surface. The first propeller strike was identified about 1,354 feet from the runway 5 threshold. The propeller strike marks were located on the runway centerline. The aircraft came to rest on the lower nose cowling approximately 2,128 feet from the runway 5 threshold. The pilot secured the airplane and egressed on the runway.

A postincident examination of the airplane on the jet aviation fixed base operator (FBO) ramp revealed damage consistent with a nose landing gear (NLG) collapse. The nose gear doors exhibited impact and abrasion marks on the forward sections. Portions of the underside of the left wingtip, left outboard wing, and left aileron had abrasion marks. This damage is consistent with contact with the asphalt surface during landing. The aircraft sustained significant propeller damage consistent with idle power impact with the asphalt surface. Several inches of material was ground off or wholly removed from all propeller blades. Additionally, both the left and right inboard main landing gear (MLG) doors were found open. The forward section of the inboard MLG doors exhibited damage consistent with impact and abrasion on the asphalt surface. The left inboard MLG door had considerably more damage to the outside of the door when compared to the right inboard MLG door. Furthermore, the left inboard MLG door had damage to the inside of the door.