Small aircraft has gear unsafe light activate after experiencing turbulence. Slows to extend gear an...

Attributes
ACN	332635
Time
Date	199604
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cmh
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8600 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cmh tower : sjc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time total : 586
ASRS Report	332635
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I was on a pleasure flight from ashland, oh, to cincinnati lunkin. I had been flying for about 45 mins in IMC when I asked dayton if I could return to ashland county as I did not want to get stuck in cincinnati for the wkend. I was cleared to ashland county direct and after a short period of time I was handed off to columbus approach. Shortly after reporting in to columbus approach I encountered some turbulence (light) and my unsafe gear warning light came on. As I just got my airplane out of maintenance for a gear problem I became somewhat concerned about the light coming on. I should add at the time I was flying at 9000 ft. I decided to slow the plane to 129 KTS to lower the gear then slow to 106 KTS to retract the gear to see if the unsafe light went off. It did, however, at this time columbus approach called and asked me to check my transponder -- I was indicating 8600 ft. I advised them I was having a gear problem and was starting back to 9000 ft. They asked (columbus approach) would I like them to notify my destination of my problem and I advised them I would appreciate that. When I got close to ashland county I tried calling the airport for assistance. Upon not being able to receive anyone, I elected to go to mansfield and do a low approach by their tower and have them look the plane over. I did this and they advised everything looked normal. I proceeded to ashland county where I landed without incident. I asked the mechanic to look the airplane over and described the problem I had. They did this and advised there was nothing wrong that they could see. Possibly the gear switch is too sensitive and any little jerk will let the gear come off enough to turn on the light. I realize I was wrong to drop below my assigned altitude. I became fixated with the gear and did not continue to fly the airplane. I have scheduled an appointment with my instructor to do some instrument work and I will make every effort not to do this again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT ACTIVATE AFTER EXPERIENCING TURB. SLOWS TO EXTEND GEAR AND THEN RETRACT TO TROUBLESHOOT, LIGHT EXTINGUISHES. ALTDEV OCCURS.

Narrative: I WAS ON A PLEASURE FLT FROM ASHLAND, OH, TO CINCINNATI LUNKIN. I HAD BEEN FLYING FOR ABOUT 45 MINS IN IMC WHEN I ASKED DAYTON IF I COULD RETURN TO ASHLAND COUNTY AS I DID NOT WANT TO GET STUCK IN CINCINNATI FOR THE WKEND. I WAS CLRED TO ASHLAND COUNTY DIRECT AND AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME I WAS HANDED OFF TO COLUMBUS APCH. SHORTLY AFTER RPTING IN TO COLUMBUS APCH I ENCOUNTERED SOME TURB (LIGHT) AND MY UNSAFE GEAR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. AS I JUST GOT MY AIRPLANE OUT OF MAINT FOR A GEAR PROB I BECAME SOMEWHAT CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIGHT COMING ON. I SHOULD ADD AT THE TIME I WAS FLYING AT 9000 FT. I DECIDED TO SLOW THE PLANE TO 129 KTS TO LOWER THE GEAR THEN SLOW TO 106 KTS TO RETRACT THE GEAR TO SEE IF THE UNSAFE LIGHT WENT OFF. IT DID, HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME COLUMBUS APCH CALLED AND ASKED ME TO CHK MY XPONDER -- I WAS INDICATING 8600 FT. I ADVISED THEM I WAS HAVING A GEAR PROB AND WAS STARTING BACK TO 9000 FT. THEY ASKED (COLUMBUS APCH) WOULD I LIKE THEM TO NOTIFY MY DEST OF MY PROB AND I ADVISED THEM I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. WHEN I GOT CLOSE TO ASHLAND COUNTY I TRIED CALLING THE ARPT FOR ASSISTANCE. UPON NOT BEING ABLE TO RECEIVE ANYONE, I ELECTED TO GO TO MANSFIELD AND DO A LOW APCH BY THEIR TWR AND HAVE THEM LOOK THE PLANE OVER. I DID THIS AND THEY ADVISED EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL. I PROCEEDED TO ASHLAND COUNTY WHERE I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I ASKED THE MECH TO LOOK THE AIRPLANE OVER AND DESCRIBED THE PROB I HAD. THEY DID THIS AND ADVISED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG THAT THEY COULD SEE. POSSIBLY THE GEAR SWITCH IS TOO SENSITIVE AND ANY LITTLE JERK WILL LET THE GEAR COME OFF ENOUGH TO TURN ON THE LIGHT. I REALIZE I WAS WRONG TO DROP BELOW MY ASSIGNED ALT. I BECAME FIXATED WITH THE GEAR AND DID NOT CONTINUE TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. I HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY INSTRUCTOR TO DO SOME INST WORK AND I WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT NOT TO DO THIS AGAIN.

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.

Small aircraft has gear unsafe light activate after experiencing turbulence. Slows to extend gear and then retract to troubleshoot, light extinguishes. Altitude deviation occurs.