# Incident 20230624010759I: Cessna 320E, Spanish Fork, UT, June 24, 2023

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 24, 2023, 17:30 local time
- Place: Spanish Fork, UT
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.1132° N, 111.6431° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Spanish Fork, UT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1132&lon=-111.6431&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3412Q, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3412Q) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 320E (registry code 2074514, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 320E
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,649 total, 547 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230624010759I

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE RETRACTING THE GEAR, HE HEARD A BANG FROM THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. WITH GROUND OBSERVATION AND AN EXTRA 300 (11G) FLYING IN FORMATION, THE PILOT CONFIRMED THE NOSE GEAR WAS NOT COMING DOWN. THE PILOT TRIED CYCLING THE GEAR WITH THE HAND CRANK, HIGH G MANEUVERS WERE PERFORMED TO NO AVAIL; THE NOSE GEAR STILL DID NOT EXTENDED. THE PILOT FLEW AROUND FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES ATTEMPTING TO GET THE NOSE GEAR DOWN, HE TALKED TO THE GROUND, TALKED TO THE EXTRA 300 WHILE BURNING FUEL TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD AND SEVERITY OF A FIRE. THE PILOT FLEW TO PROVO (KPVU) AND TALKED TO THE PROVO TOWER CONTROLLER (WHO CALLED 911). THE PILOT TURNED OFF THE FUEL AND OPENED THE DOOR AS SOON AS THE MAINS TOUCHED DOWN. THE PILOT STATED HE HELD THE NOSE OFF THE GROUND AS LONG AS HE COULD, AND THE NOSE DROPPED (SHORTLY AFTER THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED) WITH THE FUSELAGE HITTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED FOR ABOUT 24 SECONDS. AFTER THE PILOT VERIFIED THAT THE FUEL AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WERE OFF, EVERYONE EXITED THE PLANE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE NOSE GEAR AS SOON AS HE HEARD THE BANG ON TAKEOFF. HE STATED THAT HIS MECHANIC DISCONNECTED THE NOSE GEAR DOORS TO REMOVE THE OXYGEN BOTTLE FOR SERVICING. THE PILOT RECEIVED THE OXYGEN BOTTLE BACK FROM SERVICE AND INSTALLED IT HIMSELF WITHOUT INFORMING THE MECHANIC. AFTER THE OXYGEN BOTTLE WAS INSTALLED THE PILOT FAILED TO RECONNECT THE NOSE GEAR DOORS. THE NOSE GEAR JAMMED DUE TO THE NOSE GEAR DOORS NOT BEING SECURED. THE PILOT ALSO STATED HE MISSED THAT STEP ON HIS CHECKLIST DUE TO THE PLANE BEING WASHED PRIOR TO TAKE-OFF.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.