ANC97LA033

The pilot departed on a local flight at night, but discovered the landing gear handle did not return to the neutral position within the normal time. The 'gear up' annunciator light did not illuminate. A pass near the airport tower confirmed the nose gear appeared down, the main landing gear doors were open, and the gear appeared not to be positioned normally. The pilot attempted to use the emergency hydraulic gear pump, but the pump handle broke off as he was attempting to activate the pump. The pilot contacted his maintenance provider, who recommended several options and methods to get the main gear to lock down. These were unsuccessful, and the pilot elected to land on a snow covered ski strip. The lower portion of the right vertical stabilizer and right rudder received damage when the airplane touched down in a nose high attitude. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a leaking seal in a gear actuator.

On March 9, 1997, about 1909 Alaska standard time, a Cessna 337T, N922EJ, received substantial damage when the pilot performed an emergency landing at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed Fairbanks about 1700.

In the pilot/operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) submitted by the pilot, he reported that after departure, the gear handle did not return to the neutral position within the normal time. The "gear up" annunciator light did not illuminate. A pass near the airport tower confirmed the nose gear appeared down, but the main landing gear doors were open and the gear appeared not to be positioned normally. The pilot contacted his maintenance provider who recommended several options and methods in order to get the main gear to lock down. These proved unsuccessful and the pilot elected to land on the snow covered ski strip, runway 19, at Fairbanks. The lower portion of the right vertical stabilizer and right rudder received damage when the airplane touched down in a nose high attitude.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), reported the pilot could not raise the main landing gear of the airplane. The pilot attempted to use the emergency hydraulic gear pump but broke the pump handle off while attempting to activate the pump. The nose wheel was down and locked but the main gear remained unlatched. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a leaking gear actuator seal.