N327K

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gear revealed that the nose gear door hooks had missed the rollers on the lower portion of the nose gear when the gear was retracted.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.