Narrative:

Flight had nose gear indication problem while flying ILS runway 21 at gsp (2400 ft RVR). Flight discontinued approach and requested airborne delay-holding to resolve problem. Subsequently visibility went below minimums. Flight diverted to clt. En route, flight talked to gsp approach, ZTL and clt approach. Upon contact with clt approach it became apparent that approach had no knowledge that flight was working a gear problem -- nobody passed it on to them. We did get normal gear indications but we decided to declare an emergency and ask for equipment (crash fire rescue equipment) standing by. Now we were handled with priority. This begs the question, if we (flight) have an abnormal problem that we expect to resolve to normal, should we declare an emergency just so we don't have to explain to each controller our situation. For this situation we decided to eventually declare the emergency after some consideration. Not every situation requires the emergency declaration but you will have to re-explain to each controller your situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9 PIC RPT ON THE FRUSTRATIONS OF HAVING TO EXPLAIN HIS ACTIONS TO EACH FACILITY CTLR AS HE PERFORMS A DIVERSION TO ALTERNATE FOR A GEAR PROB. TERMINAL AREA WX AT GSP PRECLUDED THE APCH AND HE PROCEEDED TO CLT.

Narrative: FLT HAD NOSE GEAR INDICATION PROB WHILE FLYING ILS RWY 21 AT GSP (2400 FT RVR). FLT DISCONTINUED APCH AND REQUESTED AIRBORNE DELAY-HOLDING TO RESOLVE PROB. SUBSEQUENTLY VISIBILITY WENT BELOW MINIMUMS. FLT DIVERTED TO CLT. ENRTE, FLT TALKED TO GSP APCH, ZTL AND CLT APCH. UPON CONTACT WITH CLT APCH IT BECAME APPARENT THAT APCH HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT FLT WAS WORKING A GEAR PROB -- NOBODY PASSED IT ON TO THEM. WE DID GET NORMAL GEAR INDICATIONS BUT WE DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND ASK FOR EQUIP (CFR) STANDING BY. NOW WE WERE HANDLED WITH PRIORITY. THIS BEGS THE QUESTION, IF WE (FLT) HAVE AN ABNORMAL PROB THAT WE EXPECT TO RESOLVE TO NORMAL, SHOULD WE DECLARE AN EMER JUST SO WE DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO EACH CTLR OUR SIT. FOR THIS SIT WE DECIDED TO EVENTUALLY DECLARE THE EMER AFTER SOME CONSIDERATION. NOT EVERY SIT REQUIRES THE EMER DECLARATION BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO RE-EXPLAIN TO EACH CTLR YOUR SIT.

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.