Accident Beechcraft 76 Duchess VH-BCJ, Thursday 26 February 1987

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Date:	Thursday 26 February 1987
Time:	11:30
Type:	Beechcraft 76 Duchess
Owner/operator:
Registration:	VH-BCJ
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Wagga Wagga Airport (YSWG), Forest Hill, NSW - Australia
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	YWWL
Destination airport:	YNAR
Investigating agency:	BASI
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
When the pilot arrived at his planned destination, he was unable to obtain a down and locked indication for the nose wheel. Both normal and emergency means of lowering the gear were employed, but without success. A diversion was made to a more suitable aerodrome, where a safe landing was made with the nose gear retracted. It was determined that the hinge on the left door of the nose gear assembly had seized because of corrosion. On the previous retraction, the door linkages had been forced out of position in such a manner that the gear doors were jammed closed. All required maintenance and inspections had been certified as being completed, and it was not possible to determine how the hinge had become corroded.

Accident investigation: