Light transport cpr aircraft cleared for visual approach, but because of the position of the aircraft, the captain reporter couldn't see the runway. The first officer saw it, however, so the reporter called for gear down. At first the gear didn't all indicate green lights so flight crew became distraction with that and, in the process lost sight of the airport and overflew it at 2000 ft. Approach controller vectored them back for landing and the ground controller advised the flight crew that they were filing a flight assist report.

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Attributes
ACN	358290
Time
Date	199701
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : btv
State Reference	VT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : btv tower : btv tracon : bos
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	358290
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On coming in to burlington airport, we were cleared for a visual approach. My partner said he had the airport off his right and ahead. I was not able to see the airport from my side of the airplane, but I did rely on my partner's statement. I called for the gear. Upon selecting gear down, we did not get all 3 green lights immediately. That put our attention back in the cockpit until we were able to confirm gear down and locked. In the process, we lost sight of the airport. As it turned out, we were almost over the airport at 2000 ft. The controller vectored us back out for a landing which we accomplished without any further problems. While taxiing in, ground control advised that I should call them by phone. When I called, I was told they were filling out a flight 'assist report.' the lesson learned from all of this is that looking out the window is the least dependable way of knowing where you are. Just because it is clear and 10 mi visibility is no cause to relax when you are flying. The other factor is the terrain in the winter with a snow covering makes everything look the same. It seems like no matter how many yrs you fly you are always learning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTT CPR ACFT CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH, BUT BECAUSE OF THE POS OF THE ACFT, THE CAPT RPTR COULDN'T SEE THE RWY. THE FO SAW IT, HOWEVER, SO THE RPTR CALLED FOR GEAR DOWN. AT FIRST THE GEAR DIDN'T ALL INDICATE GREEN LIGHTS SO FLC BECAME DISTR WITH THAT AND, IN THE PROCESS LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT AND OVERFLEW IT AT 2000 FT. APCH CTLR VECTORED THEM BACK FOR LNDG AND THE GND CTLR ADVISED THE FLC THAT THEY WERE FILING A FLT ASSIST RPT.

Narrative: ON COMING IN TO BURLINGTON ARPT, WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. MY PARTNER SAID HE HAD THE ARPT OFF HIS R AND AHEAD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THE ARPT FROM MY SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE, BUT I DID RELY ON MY PARTNER'S STATEMENT. I CALLED FOR THE GEAR. UPON SELECTING GEAR DOWN, WE DID NOT GET ALL 3 GREEN LIGHTS IMMEDIATELY. THAT PUT OUR ATTN BACK IN THE COCKPIT UNTIL WE WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED. IN THE PROCESS, WE LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT. AS IT TURNED OUT, WE WERE ALMOST OVER THE ARPT AT 2000 FT. THE CTLR VECTORED US BACK OUT FOR A LNDG WHICH WE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBS. WHILE TAXIING IN, GND CTL ADVISED THAT I SHOULD CALL THEM BY PHONE. WHEN I CALLED, I WAS TOLD THEY WERE FILLING OUT A FLT 'ASSIST RPT.' THE LESSON LEARNED FROM ALL OF THIS IS THAT LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW IS THE LEAST DEPENDABLE WAY OF KNOWING WHERE YOU ARE. JUST BECAUSE IT IS CLR AND 10 MI VISIBILITY IS NO CAUSE TO RELAX WHEN YOU ARE FLYING. THE OTHER FACTOR IS THE TERRAIN IN THE WINTER WITH A SNOW COVERING MAKES EVERYTHING LOOK THE SAME. IT SEEMS LIKE NO MATTER HOW MANY YRS YOU FLY YOU ARE ALWAYS LEARNING.

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.