DELAND, FL, USA
N4973V
CESSNA T303
DURING AN NDB APCH IN INSTRUMENT CONDS WITH THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED, THE FIRE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE RGT ENG ILLUMINATED. THE RGT ENG WAS SHUT DOWN & A MISSED APCH WAS INITIATED; HOWEVER, THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT & THE ACFT WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT. AS IT DSCNDD INTO THE TOP OF AN OVERCAST AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 600', THE PLTS TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT TO NO AVAIL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT DSCNDD BELOW THE CLOUDS AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 150' TO 170'. AS THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) LANDED THE ACFT IN AN OPEN FIELD, THE NOSE GEAR ENCOUNTERED SOFT DIRT & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT AN ELECTRICAL POWER JUMPER WIRE BETWEEN 2 BUS BARS HAD BECOME CHAFED & SHORTED. THE LEFT & RGT ISOLATION CIRCUIT BREAKERS & THE BUSS TIE CIRCUIT BREAKER WERE FOUND IN THE TRIPPED (OPEN) POSITION. THIS RESULTED IN A FALSE FIRE WARNING LIGHT & PREVENTED THE LANDING GEAR FROM BEING RETRACTED.
THE CHAFED AND SHORTED ELECTRICAL WIRING BETWEEN BUS BARS, WHICH CAUSED A PARTIAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE, RESULTED IN A FALSE FIRE WARNING INDICATION, AND PREVENTED THE RESTART OF THE RIGHT ENGINE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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