What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 15, 2026, at approximately 1104 MST, the subject aircraft departed Helena regional airport (hln) for a multi-engine instructional flight. The student pilot performed four touch-and-go landings at broadwater county airport (8U8) uneventfully. However, on the subsequent takeoff, the nose landing gear failed to retract when commanded. The pilot in command (PIC) attempted standard and manual extension procedures without success.
After exhausting all emergency procedures, the PIC declared an emergency with hln air traffic control (ATC) and executed a gear-up landing on runway 23. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the nose section and both propellers. Inspection revealed that the nose landing gear upper drag brace had fractured in half. A review of aircraft maintenance records revealed no prior maintenance history on the nose landing gear assembly, and all documentation was found to be compliant. A service difficulty report (SDR) is being submitted, and this investigation is closed with no further action required.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 15, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1104 MST, THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HELENA REGIONAL AIRPORT (HLN) FOR A MULTI-ENGINE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. THE STUDENT PILOT PERFORMED FOUR TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS AT BROADWATER COUNTY AIRPORT (8U8) UNEVENTFULLY. HOWEVER, ON THE SUBSEQUENT TAKEOFF, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR FAILED TO RETRACT WHEN COMMANDED. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) ATTEMPTED STANDARD AND MANUAL EXTENSION PROCEDURES WITHOUT SUCCESS.
AFTER EXHAUSTING ALL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, THE PIC DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH HLN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) AND EXECUTED A GEAR-UP LANDING ON RUNWAY 23. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE NOSE SECTION AND BOTH PROPELLERS. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR UPPER DRAG BRACE HAD FRACTURED IN HALF. A REVIEW OF AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED NO PRIOR MAINTENANCE HISTORY ON THE NOSE LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY, AND ALL DOCUMENTATION WAS FOUND TO BE COMPLIANT. A SERVICE DIFFICULTY REPORT (SDR) IS BEING SUBMITTED, AND THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED WITH NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED.