Event CHI94LA112

Factual narrative

On March 17, 1994, at 0139 eastern standard time, a Dassault-Breguet Falcon 900, N327K, operated by the Ford Motor Company, Detroit, Michigan, sustained substantial damage when the pilot made an intentional landing at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport with the nose landing gear in the UP position. The three crewmembers and six passengers aboard the airplane were not injured. The corporate flight originated at Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C.. An IFR flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The flight crew reported there was a loud air noise coming from the nose gear area upon gear retraction when they departed Washington National. The gear indicated UP. The crew elected to continue to their destination, Detroit Metro. The examination of the nose gear revealed that the nose gear door hooks had missed the rollers on the lower portion of the nose gear when the gear was retracted. After retraction the nose gear rollers were above the nose gear door hooks. The gear can not extend with the rollers above the door hooks. The strut pressure in the nose gear was found to be below minimum required pressure. The daily inspection criteria for acceptable strut pressure was a dimensional check. It was found that the proper dimension could be obtained without minimum pressure in the strut. After takeoff from Washington National Airport, the flight crew reported a loud air noise coming from the nose gear area after landing gear retraction. The crew elected to continue to their destination, Detroit Metro Airport. At their destination, the nose landing gear did not extend. The pilot made a landing with the nose gear UP. When the nose gear was retracted on takeoff the nose gear door hooks missed the gear door rollers on the lower nose gear strut. In the wheel well, the gear door rollers were above the gear door hooks. The gear will not extend when this configuration exists. The nose gear strut pressure was found to be below minimum acceptable pressure. The inspection program required a dimensional check of the nose strut extension to determine if there was acceptable strut pressure. It was found that the proper dimension can exist without minimum pressure in the strut. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12