Narrative:

After lowering the landing gear, did not have any indication the gear was down. Leveled off at approximately 1000 ft AGL and had the tower visually inspect. They were unable to tell if both mains were down. Manually tried extending the gear with t-handles, unable to use the view finder because of carpeting covering the area they were located at. Flew another miss, passed the tower, and on this occasion, they were able to determine the gear was down, along with another plane on the ground. Landed safely and exited the runway. Fire and rescue asked if we needed further assistance and we said, 'no.' seconds later the first flight attendant entered the cockpit and reported smoke filling the cabin. I immediately called the tower and asked them to have the fire trucks return. When they were turned around, I asked them if they could see any fire or smoke. They were not able to report anything. I informed the captain about their response and together decided it better we evacuate the plane using the fwd entrance and service doors. We initiated an evacuate/evacuation. No reports of anyone being hurt. 54 passenger on board and 5 crew members. I believe if the pilots were able to communicate directly with the fire crew it could save valuable time. During our communication almost everything was relayed through ground control. I wanted an answer from the ground crew where they were located so we could determine which side of the plane to evacuate, instead I was left uncertain that they really cared about what was going on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS GEAR INDICATOR INOP THEN SMOKE IN CABIN. EVACUATES ACFT AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: AFTER LOWERING THE LNDG GEAR, DID NOT HAVE ANY INDICATION THE GEAR WAS DOWN. LEVELED OFF AT APPROX 1000 FT AGL AND HAD THE TWR VISUALLY INSPECT. THEY WERE UNABLE TO TELL IF BOTH MAINS WERE DOWN. MANUALLY TRIED EXTENDING THE GEAR WITH T-HANDLES, UNABLE TO USE THE VIEW FINDER BECAUSE OF CARPETING COVERING THE AREA THEY WERE LOCATED AT. FLEW ANOTHER MISS, PASSED THE TWR, AND ON THIS OCCASION, THEY WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE GEAR WAS DOWN, ALONG WITH ANOTHER PLANE ON THE GND. LANDED SAFELY AND EXITED THE RWY. FIRE AND RESCUE ASKED IF WE NEEDED FURTHER ASSISTANCE AND WE SAID, 'NO.' SECONDS LATER THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED THE COCKPIT AND RPTED SMOKE FILLING THE CABIN. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE TWR AND ASKED THEM TO HAVE THE FIRE TRUCKS RETURN. WHEN THEY WERE TURNED AROUND, I ASKED THEM IF THEY COULD SEE ANY FIRE OR SMOKE. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO RPT ANYTHING. I INFORMED THE CAPT ABOUT THEIR RESPONSE AND TOGETHER DECIDED IT BETTER WE EVACUATE THE PLANE USING THE FWD ENTRANCE AND SVC DOORS. WE INITIATED AN EVAC. NO RPTS OF ANYONE BEING HURT. 54 PAX ON BOARD AND 5 CREW MEMBERS. I BELIEVE IF THE PLTS WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH THE FIRE CREW IT COULD SAVE VALUABLE TIME. DURING OUR COM ALMOST EVERYTHING WAS RELAYED THROUGH GND CTL. I WANTED AN ANSWER FROM THE GND CREW WHERE THEY WERE LOCATED SO WE COULD DETERMINE WHICH SIDE OF THE PLANE TO EVACUATE, INSTEAD I WAS LEFT UNCERTAIN THAT THEY REALLY CARED ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

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.