Narrative:

On approach when we lowered the gear, we had an unsafe gear indication for the right main gear. I decided to clear the traffic area to a less congested area to troubleshoot the problem. Following departure's directions we were told to 'fly heading 160 degrees to intercept the pxr 190 degree radial, hold between 12 and 22 DME, turns your discretion. No, make that right turns.' as we intercepted the 190 degree radial around the 16 DME point, I proceeded outbound on the 190 degree radial to the 22 DME fix and called entering holding. We held on the 190 degree radial, 22 DME fix, right turns. The controller acknowledged our entering holding call and never commented on the pattern I used. However, it is now obvious that with the clearance we were given, no specific holding fix included, I either did what was expected of me or I flew the mirror image of what the controller anticipated. I should have clarified the instructions we were given to make sure which DME/radial point was the intended holding fix. The gear problem had us preoccupied and so I merely flew the pattern that seemed obvious. My situational awareness should have been 1 notch higher. In case you're interested, the right main was lowered by pulling the manual uplock release. Landing was uneventful.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS GEAR EXTENSION PROBLEM. VECTORED TO HOLD. CONFUSION REF HOLDING PATTERN ASSIGNMENT. PROBABLY FLEW MIRROR IMAGE OF ASSIGNED HOLD.

Narrative: ON APCH WHEN WE LOWERED THE GEAR, WE HAD AN UNSAFE GEAR INDICATION FOR THE R MAIN GEAR. I DECIDED TO CLR THE TFC AREA TO A LESS CONGESTED AREA TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM. FOLLOWING DEP'S DIRECTIONS WE WERE TOLD TO 'FLY HDG 160 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE PXR 190 DEG RADIAL, HOLD BTWN 12 AND 22 DME, TURNS YOUR DISCRETION. NO, MAKE THAT R TURNS.' AS WE INTERCEPTED THE 190 DEG RADIAL AROUND THE 16 DME POINT, I PROCEEDED OUTBOUND ON THE 190 DEG RADIAL TO THE 22 DME FIX AND CALLED ENTERING HOLDING. WE HELD ON THE 190 DEG RADIAL, 22 DME FIX, R TURNS. THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED OUR ENTERING HOLDING CALL AND NEVER COMMENTED ON THE PATTERN I USED. HOWEVER, IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT WITH THE CLRNC WE WERE GIVEN, NO SPECIFIC HOLDING FIX INCLUDED, I EITHER DID WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF ME OR I FLEW THE MIRROR IMAGE OF WHAT THE CTLR ANTICIPATED. I SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THE INSTRUCTIONS WE WERE GIVEN TO MAKE SURE WHICH DME/RADIAL POINT WAS THE INTENDED HOLDING FIX. THE GEAR PROBLEM HAD US PREOCCUPIED AND SO I MERELY FLEW THE PATTERN THAT SEEMED OBVIOUS. MY SITUATIONAL AWARENESS SHOULD HAVE BEEN 1 NOTCH HIGHER. IN CASE YOU'RE INTERESTED, THE R MAIN WAS LOWERED BY PULLING THE MANUAL UPLOCK RELEASE. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.