I was just out driving some golf balls in my backyard, and I heard a rumble. It sounded like a twin engine turboprop. Sure enough, a few seconds later, what looked like a twin engine Beech or Piper (had tip tanks) came roaring over the treetops at I'd say.......... fast. I noticed he had only his nose landing gear down, and none of the main gears were in the process of going down. It also sounded like the engines were running kind of rich, but it could just be the humid atmosphere. And after all that, he was VERY low. I'd say no more than 1,500 feet, and it looked like he was desending.

I waited a little while, just in case, if I could hear an explosion or a crash or a "keerrrrummmmmphhhhssssshh*.. but nothing.

So my question is, do you think it was just showboating? Or was there somthing wrong with the aircraft? Keep in mind theres no airports within a 5-mile radius of my house, so it rules out any sort of funky approach..

James

They probably just built an airfield in your backyard last night, you just didn't hear them (they're very fast and quiet these days).

I would say it's very odd that he only had his nose gear down, considering the gear lever (and manual pump) is for all the mains, and there isn't really any way to lower just the nose gear.

A turbo prop is a turbine engine, if you run it with your condition levers all the way up it wont make much of a difference.  The plane as you describe it sounds like a Cessna 340 or something like that... but i believe the 340 runs piston powered engines.  In my opinion, if just the nose gear came down, theres a very serious problem, but im sure the pilot is aware of it since every aircraft with retractable gear has a 3 green light indicator in the cockpit.  Just my 2 cents

Maybe.. But he was going really fast.. Oh well. I didn't see anything on the news, so it must be fine.

James. I'm trying to figure this out. You say this aircraft was going really fast, yet it had its nosewheel down. Not sure what you mean by running rich. Were the engines at full revs or misfiring? Also it was VERY low (no more than 1,500 feet) & no airports within 5 miles radius. How far is the nearest airport from you?

I'm wondering if you see too many aircraft in your area so maybe this was what makes it stick in your mind. I live about 9 miles from my local airport & there are GA types buzzing around here all day & every day. They are usually below 1,500 feet. I would only describe it as VERY low if one flew over my house at 100 feet.  
I don't know what the terrain is like in your area or the minimum altitude requirements but apart from the fact that you said the nosewheel was down wthout the main gear I really don't see anything unusual.

Quote:


About 10 miles

Quote:


That would be illegal here.

Quote:

It would be illegal here too as I imagine it would be over any built-up area in the world. My point is that this is what I would call VERY low & out of the ordinary.