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Pilot of complex small aircraft cannot see gear down and locked indicators due to the fact that he had the panel lights on and the indicator lights were dimmed. In the belief that he had a potential gear malfunction, he requested crash alert trucks to be activated.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 142679 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199004 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : cmh |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : cmh |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 732 flight time type : 60 |
| ASRS Report | 142679 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : local |
| Qualification | controller : non radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Upon entering columbus approach airspace it was dusk and I was in some dark clouds. I put on the panel lights, and continued to get vectors for an ILS runway 28L (cmh). Upon getting established on the approach, I put the gear down but did not get any of the three gear lights to illuminate. I went through the emergency procedures to get the gear down, told ATC of my problem and had the crash fire rescue equipment trucks out to meet me. After landing, I realized what had happened with the panel lights. On the gear lights, brightness is greatly reduced. Unfortunately it was dusk but not dark enough to see the reduced brightness of the 3 green lights. The landing was uneventful. I don't think I will ever forget this occurrence. Next time I don't have an indication I will look to see if the panel lights are switched on first.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF COMPLEX SMA CANNOT SEE GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATORS DUE TO THE FACT THAT HE HAD THE PANEL LIGHTS ON AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE DIMMED. IN THE BELIEF THAT HE HAD A POTENTIAL GEAR MALFUNCTION, HE REQUESTED CRASH ALERT TRUCKS TO BE ACTIVATED.
Narrative: UPON ENTERING COLUMBUS APCH AIRSPACE IT WAS DUSK AND I WAS IN SOME DARK CLOUDS. I PUT ON THE PANEL LIGHTS, AND CONTINUED TO GET VECTORS FOR AN ILS RWY 28L (CMH). UPON GETTING ESTABLISHED ON THE APCH, I PUT THE GEAR DOWN BUT DID NOT GET ANY OF THE THREE GEAR LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. I WENT THROUGH THE EMER PROCS TO GET THE GEAR DOWN, TOLD ATC OF MY PROB AND HAD THE CFR TRUCKS OUT TO MEET ME. AFTER LNDG, I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED WITH THE PANEL LIGHTS. ON THE GEAR LIGHTS, BRIGHTNESS IS GREATLY REDUCED. UNFORTUNATELY IT WAS DUSK BUT NOT DARK ENOUGH TO SEE THE REDUCED BRIGHTNESS OF THE 3 GREEN LIGHTS. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I DON'T THINK I WILL EVER FORGET THIS OCCURRENCE. NEXT TIME I DON'T HAVE AN INDICATION I WILL LOOK TO SEE IF THE PANEL LIGHTS ARE SWITCHED ON FIRST.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.