Cessna 310/T310C
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Glider; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 47; Flight Crew Total 5652; Flight Crew Type 75
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Evacuated; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
On departure leg the pilot raised the gear. I sensed the retraction was taking longer than normal and heard a 'thump' from the nose of the aircraft. The pilot reported that the gear up indication was not illuminated. I reported the gear malfunction to Approach and then; after consultation with the checklist procedures; attempted to lower the landing gear. A large bang was heard and the gear down indication light did not illuminate. Observing the nose gear in the reflection on the right and left engine cowls showed that the nose gear was partially deployed; though the gear doors appeared closed. A few inches of tire were visible at the rear of the nose gear well. As we had more than four hours of fuel on board with no other apparent aircraft anomalies; I elected to make the 20-minute flight back to [the airport] where the aircraft is based; to make the landing. During the return flight the crew referred to relevant information in the Aircraft Owner's Manual and the 'Landing with unsafe nose gear' checklist. Post-landing egress procedures and other landing duties were discussed. I [advised] Approach and requested they have emergency equipment standing by. I requested a low approach so that the tower personnel could observe the condition of the main landing gear. They reported that the main gear appeared down and I re-entered the landing pattern. I made the landing with the emergency checklist with 20 degrees of flaps and a 95 mph approach speed. I closed the throttles on short final and upon touchdown moved both mixture controls to idle-cutoff. The left-seat pilot switched both fuel handles to the 'off' position and turned off all electrical and magneto switches. I held the nose up a long as possible and the aircraft skidded to a stop on the nose section as the speed diminished. The aircraft stopped on the runway centerline and the crew and passenger exited the aircraft using the pre-briefed plan. The emergency crews were quick to respond. There was no ensuing aircraft fire; nor were there any injuries reported.
An instructor pilot described a failure in the nose landing gear retraction/extension system of a Cessna 310 that resulted in landing with a partially extended nose gear.