A DC9-30 on approach had the nose gear fail to extend normally and required manual extension caused ...

Attributes
ACN	425761
Time
Date	199901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 30
Flight Phase	landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	425761
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
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

Narrative:

On lowering the gear, the first officer and I noticed that it was not as loud as usual during gear extension. We had no green lights on the nosewheel. Following the missed approach, we followed company procedures. On attempting to change bulb, it shorted and arced. A manual gear extension was accomplished. Visually checked the gear down stripes, plus had a nosewheel down and locked indication. Had the fire trucks standing by, but did not declare an emergency. The initial reason for requesting fire trucks was I didn't think it would be possible to visually check the nosewheel through the viewer since we had done a deicing event and I figured it would be cluttered up with dirt, fluids, etc. However, the first officer was able to see the alignment stripes. After landing we released the fire trucks and had the gear pinned after clearing the runway. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was jacked by maintenance and the gear cycled and the problem was found to be a bungee spring binding on the nose gear actuating cylinder.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 ON APCH HAD THE NOSE GEAR FAIL TO EXTEND NORMALLY AND REQUIRED MANUAL EXTENSION CAUSED BY A BUNGEE SPRING BINDING ON THE GEAR ACTUATING CYLINDER.

Narrative: ON LOWERING THE GEAR, THE FO AND I NOTICED THAT IT WAS NOT AS LOUD AS USUAL DURING GEAR EXTENSION. WE HAD NO GREEN LIGHTS ON THE NOSEWHEEL. FOLLOWING THE MISSED APCH, WE FOLLOWED COMPANY PROCS. ON ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE BULB, IT SHORTED AND ARCED. A MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED. VISUALLY CHKED THE GEAR DOWN STRIPES, PLUS HAD A NOSEWHEEL DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION. HAD THE FIRE TRUCKS STANDING BY, BUT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. THE INITIAL REASON FOR REQUESTING FIRE TRUCKS WAS I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO VISUALLY CHK THE NOSEWHEEL THROUGH THE VIEWER SINCE WE HAD DONE A DEICING EVENT AND I FIGURED IT WOULD BE CLUTTERED UP WITH DIRT, FLUIDS, ETC. HOWEVER, THE FO WAS ABLE TO SEE THE ALIGNMENT STRIPES. AFTER LNDG WE RELEASED THE FIRE TRUCKS AND HAD THE GEAR PINNED AFTER CLRING THE RWY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS JACKED BY MAINT AND THE GEAR CYCLED AND THE PROB WAS FOUND TO BE A BUNGEE SPRING BINDING ON THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATING CYLINDER.

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.

A DC9-30 on approach had the nose gear fail to extend normally and required manual extension caused by a bungee spring binding on the gear actuating cylinder.