Low fuel state following gear indicating system failure.

Attributes
ACN	289719
Time
Date	199411
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bae airport : mke
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mke tower : sba
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : mke
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	controller military : 16 controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 15 flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	289719
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During otherwise routine approach for landing, after gear handle was lowered, I noted the absence of either a (red) 'gear unsafe' or a (green) 'gear safe' light for the right main landing gear. I immediately called this to the captain's attention. After a short discussion, he chose to execute a waveoff. Tower turned us over lake michigan where we began holding and troubleshooting the gear light problem -- fuel was noted at about 6000 pounds, altitude 3000 ft MSL. After completing the QRH and crew operating manual procedures, discussing the problem with our company's maintenance department, and executing a low approach to check gear position, and visually checking the gear with the periscope, we decided to execute our approach. As we commenced the approach, fuel was about 2000 pounds. We were about 25-30 mi east of mke, wind (at 3000 ft MSL) approximately 090 degrees at 45. We noted the fuel was diminishing faster than expected (gear down, flaps 20 degrees). At about 20 mi we raised the gear and flaps and accelerated to 220 KTS and descended to get under the strong winds. We landed with about 650 pounds fuel remaining -- only 150 pounds remained by the time we arrived at the gate. (The gear checked normal. A wire bundle had broken extinguishing the indicator lights).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW FUEL STATE FOLLOWING GEAR INDICATING SYS FAILURE.

Narrative: DURING OTHERWISE ROUTINE APCH FOR LNDG, AFTER GEAR HANDLE WAS LOWERED, I NOTED THE ABSENCE OF EITHER A (RED) 'GEAR UNSAFE' OR A (GREEN) 'GEAR SAFE' LIGHT FOR THE R MAIN LNDG GEAR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THIS TO THE CAPT'S ATTN. AFTER A SHORT DISCUSSION, HE CHOSE TO EXECUTE A WAVEOFF. TWR TURNED US OVER LAKE MICHIGAN WHERE WE BEGAN HOLDING AND TROUBLESHOOTING THE GEAR LIGHT PROB -- FUEL WAS NOTED AT ABOUT 6000 LBS, ALT 3000 FT MSL. AFTER COMPLETING THE QRH AND CREW OPERATING MANUAL PROCS, DISCUSSING THE PROB WITH OUR COMPANY'S MAINT DEPT, AND EXECUTING A LOW APCH TO CHK GEAR POS, AND VISUALLY CHKING THE GEAR WITH THE PERISCOPE, WE DECIDED TO EXECUTE OUR APCH. AS WE COMMENCED THE APCH, FUEL WAS ABOUT 2000 LBS. WE WERE ABOUT 25-30 MI E OF MKE, WIND (AT 3000 FT MSL) APPROX 090 DEGS AT 45. WE NOTED THE FUEL WAS DIMINISHING FASTER THAN EXPECTED (GEAR DOWN, FLAPS 20 DEGS). AT ABOUT 20 MI WE RAISED THE GEAR AND FLAPS AND ACCELERATED TO 220 KTS AND DSNDED TO GET UNDER THE STRONG WINDS. WE LANDED WITH ABOUT 650 LBS FUEL REMAINING -- ONLY 150 LBS REMAINED BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE. (THE GEAR CHKED NORMAL. A WIRE BUNDLE HAD BROKEN EXTINGUISHING THE INDICATOR LIGHTS).

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.