What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 16, 2025, at 1510 CT, the pilot in command (PIC) of privacy data omitted, a Piper PA28R-180, declared an emergency for nose gear that failed to extend leading to a runway excursion on landing. The flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and using visual flight rules (VFR). The nearest automatic terminal information service (ATIS) reported calm conditions and broken sky cover, kgyy 162050Z 31013G20KT 10SM clr 10/M09 A2991. The aircraft sustained minor damage. The PIC was uninjured with no passengers on board.
The pilot in command (PIC) departed nashville international airport (kbna) enroute to griffith-merrillville airport (05C). Shortly after takeoff, the PIC retracted the landing gear. The PIC stated that he observed the gear in transition light remained illuminated, indicating that the gear had not fully retracted. The PIC proceeded to complete the appropriate checklist to troubleshoot the event. He stated that he observed the main landing gear in position but believed that the nose gear was neither fully retracted nor extended. He contacted maintenance support on the ground and 05C. They assisted in troubleshooting to no avail. The PIC elected to divert to Gary Chicago international airport (kgyy) due to wider and longer runways and crash fire rescue availability at the airport. Upon arrival, the PIC circled the tower so that they could report their observations regarding the position of the landing gear. The PIC stated that kgyy tower indicated that the main gear appeared to be fully extended, however the nose gear appeared to be at a 45-degree angle. The PIC proceeded to land the aircraft on runway 30. Upon touching down, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft departed the left side of the runway at a low speed.
Repairs to propeller and nose gear were performed. Aircraft systems tested good. Unable to substantiate regulatory noncompliance at this time.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 16, 2025, AT 1510 CT, THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A PIPER PA28R-180, DECLARED AN EMERGENCY FOR NOSE GEAR THAT FAILED TO EXTEND LEADING TO A RUNWAY EXCURSION ON LANDING. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) AND USING VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR). THE NEAREST AUTOMATIC TERMINAL INFORMATION SERVICE (ATIS) REPORTED CALM CONDITIONS AND BROKEN SKY COVER, KGYY 162050Z 31013G20KT 10SM CLR 10/M09 A2991. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. THE PIC WAS UNINJURED WITH NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD.
THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) DEPARTED NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KBNA) ENROUTE TO GRIFFITH-MERRILLVILLE AIRPORT (05C). SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PIC RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR. THE PIC STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE GEAR IN TRANSITION LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED, INDICATING THAT THE GEAR HAD NOT FULLY RETRACTED. THE PIC PROCEEDED TO COMPLETE THE APPROPRIATE CHECKLIST TO TROUBLESHOOT THE EVENT. HE STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR IN POSITION BUT BELIEVED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS NEITHER FULLY RETRACTED NOR EXTENDED. HE CONTACTED MAINTENANCE SUPPORT ON THE GROUND AND 05C. THEY ASSISTED IN TROUBLESHOOTING TO NO AVAIL. THE PIC ELECTED TO DIVERT TO GARY CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KGYY) DUE TO WIDER AND LONGER RUNWAYS AND CRASH FIRE RESCUE AVAILABILITY AT THE AIRPORT. UPON ARRIVAL, THE PIC CIRCLED THE TOWER SO THAT THEY COULD REPORT THEIR OBSERVATIONS REGARDING THE POSITION OF THE LANDING GEAR. THE PIC STATED THAT KGYY TOWER INDICATED THAT THE MAIN GEAR APPEARED TO BE FULLY EXTENDED, HOWEVER THE NOSE GEAR APPEARED TO BE AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE. THE PIC PROCEEDED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY 30. UPON TOUCHING DOWN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AT A LOW SPEED.
REPAIRS TO PROPELLER AND NOSE GEAR WERE PERFORMED. AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS TESTED GOOD. UNABLE TO SUBSTANTIATE REGULATORY NONCOMPLIANCE AT THIS TIME.
Other reports on N3866T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.