A DC9-30 flight crew has an unsafe gear indication after extending the gear. They have some difficul...

Attributes
ACN	409328
Time
Date	199807
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 3000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw tower : psp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 675
ASRS Report	409328
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 7300 flight time type : 55
ASRS Report	409138
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

On final approach, when landing gear was lowered, the nose gear indicated unsafe. I complied with company operations manual procedures as the first officer flew ATC assigned vectors. First officer attempted to visually confirm gear position through the viewing port under his left foot (as I flew the aircraft) and was unable to confirm a 'down' gear on the first attempt. I had him look again after discussing the visual gear indicator appearance and turning the aircraft to change the lighting angle. He was fairly certain he saw the indicators aligned this time. So we returned to dtw to land. I was talking to dispatch and maintenance this entire time. Maintenance recommended we cycle the gear after the first visual inspection. I did not want to at that time as I knew it was hanging down and the gear doors were closed. (Tower said it appeared down as we flew upwind and we could see ground through the viewing port.) we returned to dtw (with the crash gear standing by) for an uneventful landing. I declared an emergency because the first officer was not 100% certain that he could see the 3 stripes clearly. The 'up lock' stripe on the side of the strut was what confused the first officer. He saw it in addition to (and very near to) the down and locked stripes. Our manual could show clrer, more detail and accurate pictures of this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 FLC HAS AN UNSAFE GEAR INDICATION AFTER EXTENDING THE GEAR. THEY HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY IN ASCERTAINING THE POS OF THE VISUAL GEAR DOWN INDICATOR BECAUSE OF THE ALIGNMENT OF THE 'UP LOCK' STRIPES VERSUS THE 'DOWN LOCK' STRIPES. PIC SAYS OPS MANUAL PICTURES ARE NOT CLRLY DEPICTED.

Narrative: ON FINAL APCH, WHEN LNDG GEAR WAS LOWERED, THE NOSE GEAR INDICATED UNSAFE. I COMPLIED WITH COMPANY OPS MANUAL PROCS AS THE FO FLEW ATC ASSIGNED VECTORS. FO ATTEMPTED TO VISUALLY CONFIRM GEAR POS THROUGH THE VIEWING PORT UNDER HIS L FOOT (AS I FLEW THE ACFT) AND WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM A 'DOWN' GEAR ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. I HAD HIM LOOK AGAIN AFTER DISCUSSING THE VISUAL GEAR INDICATOR APPEARANCE AND TURNING THE ACFT TO CHANGE THE LIGHTING ANGLE. HE WAS FAIRLY CERTAIN HE SAW THE INDICATORS ALIGNED THIS TIME. SO WE RETURNED TO DTW TO LAND. I WAS TALKING TO DISPATCH AND MAINT THIS ENTIRE TIME. MAINT RECOMMENDED WE CYCLE THE GEAR AFTER THE FIRST VISUAL INSPECTION. I DID NOT WANT TO AT THAT TIME AS I KNEW IT WAS HANGING DOWN AND THE GEAR DOORS WERE CLOSED. (TWR SAID IT APPEARED DOWN AS WE FLEW UPWIND AND WE COULD SEE GND THROUGH THE VIEWING PORT.) WE RETURNED TO DTW (WITH THE CRASH GEAR STANDING BY) FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I DECLARED AN EMER BECAUSE THE FO WAS NOT 100% CERTAIN THAT HE COULD SEE THE 3 STRIPES CLRLY. THE 'UP LOCK' STRIPE ON THE SIDE OF THE STRUT WAS WHAT CONFUSED THE FO. HE SAW IT IN ADDITION TO (AND VERY NEAR TO) THE DOWN AND LOCKED STRIPES. OUR MANUAL COULD SHOW CLRER, MORE DETAIL AND ACCURATE PICTURES OF THIS.

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.