Narrative:

During the checklist, when the captain called for the gear, the gear control lever would not move to the down position. We climbed in VFR conditions to 17500 ft and requested with ZDV for an IFR clearance to den airport. We knew this was the best facility to handle our problem if we could not get the gear down. Den airport has crash/fire/rescue equipment and safety was our first consideration. On our initial contact with ZDV, we advised them of aircraft gear problem. They asked if we wanted to declare an emergency. We stated 'not at this time.' out intention was to enter a holding pattern and then go through the emergency checklist and try to blow the gear down. ZDV cleared us direct drako, direct den. En route to drako at 17000 ft the captain requested I call maintenance to explain our problem and to see if they knew of anything we could do to get the gear lever down. They said it was probably a solenoid pin and that it was most likely stuck and that the gear lever would not go down. They also said the emergency system is designed to work with the gear lever in the up or down position. ZDV asked if we were ready to copy a holding clearance and we asked for vectors which they gave us. We went through the emergency gear extension checklist, step by step, and were successful in getting the gear to extend. We then advised den we were ready to return to den airport to land. At that time we advised den approach that crash/fire/rescue equipment was not needed. We completed the landing with no problem or incident. Maintenance at den found that it was a pin in the gear control box behind the instrument panel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CORP LTT HAS GEAR EXTENSION PROB.

Narrative: DURING THE CHKLIST, WHEN THE CAPT CALLED FOR THE GEAR, THE GEAR CTL LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE TO THE DOWN POS. WE CLBED IN VFR CONDITIONS TO 17500 FT AND REQUESTED WITH ZDV FOR AN IFR CLRNC TO DEN ARPT. WE KNEW THIS WAS THE BEST FACILITY TO HANDLE OUR PROB IF WE COULD NOT GET THE GEAR DOWN. DEN ARPT HAS CRASH/FIRE/RESCUE EQUIP AND SAFETY WAS OUR FIRST CONSIDERATION. ON OUR INITIAL CONTACT WITH ZDV, WE ADVISED THEM OF ACFT GEAR PROB. THEY ASKED IF WE WANTED TO DECLARE AN EMER. WE STATED 'NOT AT THIS TIME.' OUT INTENTION WAS TO ENTER A HOLDING PATTERN AND THEN GO THROUGH THE EMER CHKLIST AND TRY TO BLOW THE GEAR DOWN. ZDV CLRED US DIRECT DRAKO, DIRECT DEN. ENRTE TO DRAKO AT 17000 FT THE CAPT REQUESTED I CALL MAINT TO EXPLAIN OUR PROB AND TO SEE IF THEY KNEW OF ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO GET THE GEAR LEVER DOWN. THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY A SOLENOID PIN AND THAT IT WAS MOST LIKELY STUCK AND THAT THE GEAR LEVER WOULD NOT GO DOWN. THEY ALSO SAID THE EMER SYS IS DESIGNED TO WORK WITH THE GEAR LEVER IN THE UP OR DOWN POS. ZDV ASKED IF WE WERE READY TO COPY A HOLDING CLRNC AND WE ASKED FOR VECTORS WHICH THEY GAVE US. WE WENT THROUGH THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION CHKLIST, STEP BY STEP, AND WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE GEAR TO EXTEND. WE THEN ADVISED DEN WE WERE READY TO RETURN TO DEN ARPT TO LAND. AT THAT TIME WE ADVISED DEN APCH THAT CRASH/FIRE/RESCUE EQUIP WAS NOT NEEDED. WE COMPLETED THE LNDG WITH NO PROB OR INCIDENT. MAINT AT DEN FOUND THAT IT WAS A PIN IN THE GEAR CTL BOX BEHIND THE INST PANEL.

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.