On gear extension, nosewheel did not show down and locked. Emergency declared.

Attributes
ACN	265920
Time
Date	199403
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	265920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	266059
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On landing approach landing gear was extended, the nose gear did not show a down and locked condition, nor did it show an unsafe condition. The visual indicator was used but too dirty to make positive assessment of gear position. An emergency was declared and a normal landing completed. Supplemental information from acn 266059: a tower fly-by was accomplished and tower noted nose gear was down. Viewing was difficult due to sunlight and visibility through the view port. We accomplished all necessary in-flight checks and procedures. An emergency was declared as a precaution, followed by an uneventful landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON GEAR EXTENSION, NOSEWHEEL DID NOT SHOW DOWN AND LOCKED. EMER DECLARED.

Narrative: ON LNDG APCH LNDG GEAR WAS EXTENDED, THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT SHOW A DOWN AND LOCKED CONDITION, NOR DID IT SHOW AN UNSAFE CONDITION. THE VISUAL INDICATOR WAS USED BUT TOO DIRTY TO MAKE POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF GEAR POS. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND A NORMAL LNDG COMPLETED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 266059: A TWR FLY-BY WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND TWR NOTED NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN. VIEWING WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO SUNLIGHT AND VISIBILITY THROUGH THE VIEW PORT. WE ACCOMPLISHED ALL NECESSARY INFLT CHKS AND PROCS. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AS A PRECAUTION, FOLLOWED BY AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG.

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.