Narrative:

Takeoff and climb out were normal and I decided to stay in the pattern for some landing practice. On the downwind leg, I started my pre-landing checklist when I discovered my nose gear indicator was not illuminated. I cycled the gear and the light still was not lit, so I was instructed by a person on the unicom to fly straight down the runway and they would look at my gear. I flew by and same person came back on the radio and to 'bring it in, and hold the nose off.' I was running through my landing checklist and implemented the emergency gear extension feature. I then turned to the base leg where I was instructed to check the light bulbs by an unknown individual on the unicom. I knew this would require some of my attention, so before I did it, I checked altitude, separation, sink rate, and airspeed, and everything looked good. On my turn to final, and on final, I noticed some buffeting from winds and from thermals and was pushed a little off centerline, but this was easily corrected with right rudder. If my pattern was a little sloppy, it was in no way dangerous nor could I have flown over the individual's house who made the complaint. The following 2 sketches will help show the location of the house. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the aircraft nose gear was locked down and safe landing was made. However, a local resident on a hill underneath the traffic pattern complained about his aircraft's height over his house as being too low. After the complainant was told the nature of the reporter's problem, the matter was settled with. So far, no FAA involvement. The AOPA attorney advised the reporter to file this report just in case something further happened in this matter.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PRIVATE PLT OF SMA ACFT EXPERIENCED A NOSE LNDG INDICATOR PROBLEM RESULTING IN A SAFE LNDG.

Narrative: TKOF AND CLBOUT WERE NORMAL AND I DECIDED TO STAY IN THE PATTERN FOR SOME LNDG PRACTICE. ON THE DOWNWIND LEG, I STARTED MY PRE-LNDG CHKLIST WHEN I DISCOVERED MY NOSE GEAR INDICATOR WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. I CYCLED THE GEAR AND THE LIGHT STILL WAS NOT LIT, SO I WAS INSTRUCTED BY A PERSON ON THE UNICOM TO FLY STRAIGHT DOWN THE RWY AND THEY WOULD LOOK AT MY GEAR. I FLEW BY AND SAME PERSON CAME BACK ON THE RADIO AND TO 'BRING IT IN, AND HOLD THE NOSE OFF.' I WAS RUNNING THROUGH MY LNDG CHKLIST AND IMPLEMENTED THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION FEATURE. I THEN TURNED TO THE BASE LEG WHERE I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CHK THE LIGHT BULBS BY AN UNKNOWN INDIVIDUAL ON THE UNICOM. I KNEW THIS WOULD REQUIRE SOME OF MY ATTN, SO BEFORE I DID IT, I CHKED ALT, SEPARATION, SINK RATE, AND AIRSPD, AND EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD. ON MY TURN TO FINAL, AND ON FINAL, I NOTICED SOME BUFFETING FROM WINDS AND FROM THERMALS AND WAS PUSHED A LITTLE OFF CTRLINE, BUT THIS WAS EASILY CORRECTED WITH R RUDDER. IF MY PATTERN WAS A LITTLE SLOPPY, IT WAS IN NO WAY DANGEROUS NOR COULD I HAVE FLOWN OVER THE INDIVIDUAL'S HOUSE WHO MADE THE COMPLAINT. THE FOLLOWING 2 SKETCHES WILL HELP SHOW THE LOCATION OF THE HOUSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE ACFT NOSE GEAR WAS LOCKED DOWN AND SAFE LNDG WAS MADE. HOWEVER, A LCL RESIDENT ON A HILL UNDERNEATH THE TFC PATTERN COMPLAINED ABOUT HIS ACFT'S HEIGHT OVER HIS HOUSE AS BEING TOO LOW. AFTER THE COMPLAINANT WAS TOLD THE NATURE OF THE RPTR'S PROBLEM, THE MATTER WAS SETTLED WITH. SO FAR, NO FAA INVOLVEMENT. THE AOPA ATTORNEY ADVISED THE RPTR TO FILE THIS RPT JUST IN CASE SOMETHING FURTHER HAPPENED IN THIS MATTER.

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.