Instructor with student unable to determine if gear down lights are green.

Attributes
ACN	224533
Time
Date	199210
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdl
State Reference	CT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : bdl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach other other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 730 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	224533
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On approach into bdl runway 33 the instructor (myself) and the student could not tell if the 3 green landing lights were on. The sun was blaring into the cockpit. After further investigation and still being unsure, we requested a low approach past the tower to check our gear. The tower indicated that the gear appeared down. We requested to climb to a safe altitude to check out the situation. Once I realized it was a lighting problem and corrected the situation, I continued to bdr. Once outside the bdl arsa, I saw no reason not to continue the lesson, so we proceeded to oxc for touch and go's. After 2 touch and go's we were departing the pattern when oxc unicom instructed us to contact bdr tower. We did so relating to them that the gear problem had been corrected and that we were inbound for landing. We landed without any mishap. An emergency on my part as the PIC of the flight was never reported.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ISTR WITH STUDENT UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF GEAR DOWN LIGHTS ARE GREEN.

Narrative: ON APCH INTO BDL RWY 33 THE INSTRUCTOR (MYSELF) AND THE STUDENT COULD NOT TELL IF THE 3 GREEN LNDG LIGHTS WERE ON. THE SUN WAS BLARING INTO THE COCKPIT. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND STILL BEING UNSURE, WE REQUESTED A LOW APCH PAST THE TWR TO CHK OUR GEAR. THE TWR INDICATED THAT THE GEAR APPEARED DOWN. WE REQUESTED TO CLB TO A SAFE ALT TO CHK OUT THE SITUATION. ONCE I REALIZED IT WAS A LIGHTING PROBLEM AND CORRECTED THE SITUATION, I CONTINUED TO BDR. ONCE OUTSIDE THE BDL ARSA, I SAW NO REASON NOT TO CONTINUE THE LESSON, SO WE PROCEEDED TO OXC FOR TOUCH AND GO'S. AFTER 2 TOUCH AND GO'S WE WERE DEPARTING THE PATTERN WHEN OXC UNICOM INSTRUCTED US TO CONTACT BDR TWR. WE DID SO RELATING TO THEM THAT THE GEAR PROBLEM HAD BEEN CORRECTED AND THAT WE WERE INBOUND FOR LNDG. WE LANDED WITHOUT ANY MISHAP. AN EMER ON MY PART AS THE PIC OF THE FLT WAS NEVER RPTED.

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.