<< >> NASA ASRS Report 209705, May 1992

An small aircraft atx pilot had an unsafe landing gear indication. He diverted to another airport, made a tower fly-by, and landed without damage or injury. An FBO fixed the position switch.

Attributes
ACN	209705
Time
Date	199205
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fra airport : o68 airport : sck
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10 msl bound upper : 9500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sck
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	209705
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Arriving over destination airport (mariposa), left main gear would not indicate down and locked. Ran emergency gear extension checklist twice, but to no avail. Opted to divert to sck to make use of larger runway, crash trucks, and tower personnel (to inspect gear on fly-by). Tower personnel indicated that gear appeared to be down. Landed uneventfully. Maintenance personnel at FBO cleaned the downlock microswitch and indicator functioned normally. Following signoff of squawk sheet, I departed for original destination and dropped off passenger. Gear indicators worked on this landing, but left indicator failed again on return (deadhead) leg. Shop at home plate replaced the switch prior to next trip.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA ATX PLT HAD AN UNSAFE LNDG GEAR INDICATION. HE DIVERTED TO ANOTHER ARPT, MADE A TWR FLY-BY, AND LANDED WITHOUT DAMAGE OR INJURY. AN FBO FIXED THE POS SWITCH.

Narrative: ARRIVING OVER DEST ARPT (MARIPOSA), L MAIN GEAR WOULD NOT INDICATE DOWN AND LOCKED. RAN EMER GEAR EXTENSION CHKLIST TWICE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. OPTED TO DIVERT TO SCK TO MAKE USE OF LARGER RWY, CRASH TRUCKS, AND TWR PERSONNEL (TO INSPECT GEAR ON FLY-BY). TWR PERSONNEL INDICATED THAT GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN. LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. MAINT PERSONNEL AT FBO CLEANED THE DOWNLOCK MICROSWITCH AND INDICATOR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. FOLLOWING SIGNOFF OF SQUAWK SHEET, I DEPARTED FOR ORIGINAL DEST AND DROPPED OFF PAX. GEAR INDICATORS WORKED ON THIS LNDG, BUT L INDICATOR FAILED AGAIN ON RETURN (DEADHEAD) LEG. SHOP AT HOME PLATE REPLACED THE SWITCH PRIOR TO NEXT TRIP.

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.