What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot statement: on November 23, 2025, I departed tamiami executive airport (ktmb) at approximately 10:00 a.m., en route to Orlando Executive Airport (korl), operating my Piper saratoga. I was the sole occupant; no passengers were aboard.
As I prepared for landing on runway 25 at korl, I extended the landing gear. The main landing gear indicated down and locked with two green lights; however, the nose gear did not display a green light. I immediately notified the control tower that I intended to make a low pass so they could visually confirm the position of the landing gear. The tower advised that the nose gear did not appear to be in the locked position.
I then advised the tower that I would remain north of the airport while attempting to troubleshoot the landing-gear system. I cycled the gear, followed the emergency procedures for landing-gear deployment, and attempted to manually exercise the gear; however, the nose gear still would not lock, and the gear would not recycle. The main landing gear remained down and locked throughout, but the nose gear would not engage.
I subsequently informed the tower that I would proceed with a landing on runway 25 with the nose gear trailing so that a propeller strike could be anticipated. I executed a “soft-field landing”, during which the aircraft skidded approximately 15 to 20 yards before coming to a complete stop. I did not sustain any injuries.
The aircraft was removed from the runway to the airport ramp area and subsequently towed to sheltair. Upon initial inspection, the aircraft was found to have sustained a propeller strike and abrasion damage to the lower cowling. The cause of the nose-gear failure has not yet been determined, and the aircraft is currently undergoing further examination.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATEMENT: ON NOVEMBER 23, 2025, I DEPARTED TAMIAMI EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KTMB) AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 A.M., EN ROUTE TO ORLANDO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KORL), OPERATING MY PIPER SARATOGA. I WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT; NO PASSENGERS WERE ABOARD.
AS I PREPARED FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 25 AT KORL, I EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR INDICATED DOWN AND LOCKED WITH TWO GREEN LIGHTS; HOWEVER, THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT DISPLAY A GREEN LIGHT. I IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE CONTROL TOWER THAT I INTENDED TO MAKE A LOW PASS SO THEY COULD VISUALLY CONFIRM THE POSITION OF THE LANDING GEAR. THE TOWER ADVISED THAT THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE IN THE LOCKED POSITION.
I THEN ADVISED THE TOWER THAT I WOULD REMAIN NORTH OF THE AIRPORT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TROUBLESHOOT THE LANDING-GEAR SYSTEM. I CYCLED THE GEAR, FOLLOWED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR LANDING-GEAR DEPLOYMENT, AND ATTEMPTED TO MANUALLY EXERCISE THE GEAR; HOWEVER, THE NOSE GEAR STILL WOULD NOT LOCK, AND THE GEAR WOULD NOT RECYCLE. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR REMAINED DOWN AND LOCKED THROUGHOUT, BUT THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE.
I SUBSEQUENTLY INFORMED THE TOWER THAT I WOULD PROCEED WITH A LANDING ON RUNWAY 25 WITH THE NOSE GEAR TRAILING SO THAT A PROPELLER STRIKE COULD BE ANTICIPATED. I EXECUTED A “SOFT-FIELD LANDING”, DURING WHICH THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. I DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY TO THE AIRPORT RAMP AREA AND SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO SHELTAIR. UPON INITIAL INSPECTION, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND TO HAVE SUSTAINED A PROPELLER STRIKE AND ABRASION DAMAGE TO THE LOWER COWLING. THE CAUSE OF THE NOSE-GEAR FAILURE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED, AND THE AIRCRAFT IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING FURTHER EXAMINATION.
Other reports on N9264A · 1
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