Maintenance Powerplant; Maintenance Airframe
Maintenance Technician 3.5
Time Pressure; Human-Machine Interface
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Human Factors
I was performing an inspection of the nose gear down light switch installed on this aircraft.  This inspection was a result of a 'flickering' nose gear down locked light during the prior flight.  With my knowledge of this aircraft; and of its recent work to the nose gear down light switch; I determined that the gear was safe for landing and the down light was indicating erroneously.  A safe landing was made without incident.  For safe measure the aircraft was shut down after clear of the runway and the nose gear lock was inspected.  The nose gear was down and locked.  To prevent any other further damage; the aircraft was towed back to its maintenance facility.  A small adjustment was made to the micro switch and the light performed as required during its first gear swing check.  The right hand nose gear door linkage was removed to facilitate easier adjustment of the switch.  The gear was swung numerous times to replicate the problem but was unable to.  The decision was made that the switch adjustment was adequate and aircraft was prepared for return to service.  It is believed that the gear door linkage rod was not re-installed and caused a bind in the landing gear when the landing gear was lowered in flight.  After the landing the aircraft nose was lifted and the bound door linkage rod was moved; the landing gear came down and locked manually easily.  It is believed that additional final inspection would have caught the missing hardware and prevented the incident.
PA-44 Maintenance Technician reports adjusting a nose gear down micro switch to correct an intermittent down indication on the previous flight.  The right hand nose gear door linkage was disconnected to facilitate easier adjustment of the switch and not reattached; which resulted in a jammed nose gear on the next flight.