What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After performing two touch-and-go landings without issue at Warren county airport (I68), the pilot initiated a third approach and selected the landing gear down. Only the main gear down lights and the gear unsafe light illuminated.
The pilot executed a go-around and attempted to recycle the landing gear several times, but the indication remained unchanged. Contacting UNICOM, the pilot asked if anyone on the ground could visually confirm the gear position. A Cessna pilot who had just landed reported seeing three gear, but requested another low pass to get a better look. During this subsequent approach, the Cessna pilot confirmed it appeared all three landing gear were extended.
During the ensuing go-around, the engine failed to develop full power, and the aircraft struggled to climb. Reviewing the engine monitor, the pilot identified cylinder #3 as the source of the power loss. Faced with night conditions and compounding emergencies—including partial power loss and uncertain gear indication—the pilot elected to land without a positive nose gear down-and-locked indication.
Upon touchdown, the nose gear collapsed, and the aircraft slid to a stop on the runway. The pilot secured the fuel and electrical power before exiting the aircraft unassisted.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER PERFORMING TWO TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS WITHOUT ISSUE AT WARREN COUNTY AIRPORT (I68), THE PILOT INITIATED A THIRD APPROACH AND SELECTED THE LANDING GEAR DOWN. ONLY THE MAIN GEAR DOWN LIGHTS AND THE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT ILLUMINATED.
THE PILOT EXECUTED A GO-AROUND AND ATTEMPTED TO RECYCLE THE LANDING GEAR SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE INDICATION REMAINED UNCHANGED. CONTACTING UNICOM, THE PILOT ASKED IF ANYONE ON THE GROUND COULD VISUALLY CONFIRM THE GEAR POSITION. A CESSNA PILOT WHO HAD JUST LANDED REPORTED SEEING THREE GEAR, BUT REQUESTED ANOTHER LOW PASS TO GET A BETTER LOOK. DURING THIS SUBSEQUENT APPROACH, THE CESSNA PILOT CONFIRMED IT APPEARED ALL THREE LANDING GEAR WERE EXTENDED.
DURING THE ENSUING GO-AROUND, THE ENGINE FAILED TO DEVELOP FULL POWER, AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUGGLED TO CLIMB. REVIEWING THE ENGINE MONITOR, THE PILOT IDENTIFIED CYLINDER #3 AS THE SOURCE OF THE POWER LOSS. FACED WITH NIGHT CONDITIONS AND COMPOUNDING EMERGENCIES—INCLUDING PARTIAL POWER LOSS AND UNCERTAIN GEAR INDICATION—THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND WITHOUT A POSITIVE NOSE GEAR DOWN-AND-LOCKED INDICATION.
UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SECURED THE FUEL AND ELECTRICAL POWER BEFORE EXITING THE AIRCRAFT UNASSISTED.