Cessna 404 Titan
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 80; Flight Crew Total 1300; Flight Crew Type 75
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Conducting Part 135 training flight.  Departed on an IFR flight plan.  On final; extended gear at glide slope intercept.  Red gear unlocked light stayed illuminated; Green nose gear light failed to illuminate.  Hydraulic pressure light stayed on.  Attempted to recycle 3 times.  Condition did not change and nose gear was not visible in mirror.  Overflew airport and proceeded back to base.  Attempted to troubleshoot by increasing G load on nose.  Had no effect.  Consulted Maintenance on company frequency.  Executed emergency gear extension procedure.  Nose gear green light came on and nose gear was visible in mirror.  Landed without incident.  Maintenance stated nose gear doors had jammed closed.  Had just reviewed emergency procedures; including emergency gear extension.  Emergency extension procedure worked as expected.
CE404 pilot experiences failure of the nose gear to extend during approach.  The gear handle was cycled three times to no avail and the flight diverts back to home base.  The manual gear extension handle is successfully employed to extend the nose gear.  Maintenance stated jammed nose gear doors had caused the problem.