Aero Commander AC-690 N690AC

Summary

On 12 February 2001 at about 01:20 local time, a Aero Commander AC-690 registered N690AC was involved in an accident near Eugene, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 February 2001 at 01:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Eugene, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Mahlon Sweet Field (EUG)

Coordinates

44.0604, -123.0792

Aircraft

Aero Commander AC-690

Registration

N690AC

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Redmond → Eugene

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

SEA01LA049

Nobody was injured.

an undetermined malfunction of the nose gear system which resulted in the failure of the nose gear to fully extend and lock prior to landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

After taxiing and taking off in "very icy conditions," the pilot was unable to get the nose gear to fully retract even after multiple recycle attempts. Because of the severe weather at his point of departure, the pilot elected to continue to his planned destination. At the destination ILS final approach fix, the pilot moved the gear handle to the DOWN position, but the nose gear did not fully extend. He therefore recycled the gear a number of times, with and without full rudder pedal application, but the nose gear would not fully extend and lock. During the landing, the initial touchdown was successful, but as the nose gear was lowered to the runway, it collapsed back into the wheel well. During a post-accident inspection, after prying the nose wheel loose from the well with a bar, it rotated to the full down and locked position. After the bushing collar bolts at the base of the gear strut oleo body were loosened, the nose gear was able to be centered. The post-accident inspection did not reveal any anomalies in the extension and retraction assembly, and it could not be positively determined why the gear did not fully retract or extend.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.