Faulty nose gear sensor in air carrier light transport gives cause for concern in cruise and landing...

Attributes
ACN	265187
Time
Date	199402
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zkc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 4300
ASRS Report	265187
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In cruise flight, we got a nose gear down and lock light (with no other indications that the nosewheel was down and locked, i.e., no drag, no wind noise). With this in mind, we suspected a faulty microswitch which was giving us a faulty indication. The landing gear was cycled once -- but with no success. As a precaution we performed the 'no nosewheel landing checklist' since we suspected a faulty microswitch (we could not know for a fact the nosewheel was down and locked when selected since the microswitch was giving us erroneous information). The emergency checklist was performed to completion. The landing was performed without incident or injury.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAULTY NOSE GEAR SENSOR IN ACR LTT GIVES CAUSE FOR CONCERN IN CRUISE AND LNDG.

Narrative: IN CRUISE FLT, WE GOT A NOSE GEAR DOWN AND LOCK LIGHT (WITH NO OTHER INDICATIONS THAT THE NOSEWHEEL WAS DOWN AND LOCKED, I.E., NO DRAG, NO WIND NOISE). WITH THIS IN MIND, WE SUSPECTED A FAULTY MICROSWITCH WHICH WAS GIVING US A FAULTY INDICATION. THE LNDG GEAR WAS CYCLED ONCE -- BUT WITH NO SUCCESS. AS A PRECAUTION WE PERFORMED THE 'NO NOSEWHEEL LNDG CHKLIST' SINCE WE SUSPECTED A FAULTY MICROSWITCH (WE COULD NOT KNOW FOR A FACT THE NOSEWHEEL WAS DOWN AND LOCKED WHEN SELECTED SINCE THE MICROSWITCH WAS GIVING US ERRONEOUS INFO). THE EMER CHKLIST WAS PERFORMED TO COMPLETION. THE LNDG WAS PERFORMED WITHOUT INCIDENT OR INJURY.

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.