Socata TB20 N2519T accident near Melbourne, Florida

Probable cause

Improper installation of the circlip within the nose gear strut, which resulted in the strut overextending in the wheel well and preventing the nose landing gear from extending during landing.

NTSB analysis

During a personal flight, the airplane's alternator warning light flashed and the battery began to discharge, so the pilot conducted a precautionary landing. The nose landing gear did not fully deploy, and the pilot performed a gear-up landing. Examination of the landing gear system revealed the nose landing gear was jammed within the wheel well because the nose strut had overextended. Further, the circlip that held the strut inside the gear assembly was dislodged from the groove. Paint was identified on the outer portion of the circlip. Review of the maintenance records revealed that the nose landing gear was disassembled and repaired more than 2 years and 75 flight hours before the accident flight. The airplane was fully painted after that maintenance. According to the airplane maintenance manual, the circlip should have been fully installed in the groove, and the landing gear should be rotated several times to confirm proper installation. If the circlip had been properly installed inside the nose strut housing groove at the time paint was applied, paint would not have been on the outer surface of the circlip. It is likely that the circlip was improperly installed when the nose landing gear was repaired; it eventually became dislodged sufficiently to cause the internal strut to overextend and the gear to become jammed within the wheel well.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA17LA130 for the full record.