Narrative:

In the course of operating a revenue flight into bwi, we were confronted with a nose gear light (green) that was not illuminated when we selected the gear down at 1200-1300 ft AGL. The first officer was flying the aircraft on this flight. When we did not get a green (down and locked) indication, I pushed to test the light for the nose gear -- still no light. I then tested all lights on forward panel with test switch -- still no nose gear light. I then suspected the bulbs (2) were burned out but we were unable time wise to change them. We elected to do a fly-by at 400 ft AGL so tower could look at nose gear. An aircraft on crossing runway 15R, awaiting takeoff clearance, confirmed, as did the tower, that nose gear appeared down. We executed a missed approach to downwind and left the gear down. I changed the bulbs out on downwind and the lights worked this time as others were in fact burned out. We made a normal approach and landing then taxied to the gate. I did not declare an emergency nor request emergency equipment to stand by for us. I did not make a logbook write-up as I did not feel it necessary, nor is it addressed in our policy and procedures. I did, however, make a captain's irregularity report and file it with my company per policy and procedure. I am likewise submitting this NASA report for your files, input, or suggestions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC FLYING B727 INTO BWI EXECUTED A MISSED APCH AFTER OBSERVING AN UNSAFE GEAR INDICATION ON SELECTION OF THE LNDG GEAR DOWN.

Narrative: IN THE COURSE OF OPERATING A REVENUE FLT INTO BWI, WE WERE CONFRONTED WITH A NOSE GEAR LIGHT (GREEN) THAT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED WHEN WE SELECTED THE GEAR DOWN AT 1200-1300 FT AGL. THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT ON THIS FLT. WHEN WE DID NOT GET A GREEN (DOWN AND LOCKED) INDICATION, I PUSHED TO TEST THE LIGHT FOR THE NOSE GEAR -- STILL NO LIGHT. I THEN TESTED ALL LIGHTS ON FORWARD PANEL WITH TEST SWITCH -- STILL NO NOSE GEAR LIGHT. I THEN SUSPECTED THE BULBS (2) WERE BURNED OUT BUT WE WERE UNABLE TIME WISE TO CHANGE THEM. WE ELECTED TO DO A FLY-BY AT 400 FT AGL SO TWR COULD LOOK AT NOSE GEAR. AN ACFT ON XING RWY 15R, AWAITING TKOF CLRNC, CONFIRMED, AS DID THE TWR, THAT NOSE GEAR APPEARED DOWN. WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH TO DOWNWIND AND LEFT THE GEAR DOWN. I CHANGED THE BULBS OUT ON DOWNWIND AND THE LIGHTS WORKED THIS TIME AS OTHERS WERE IN FACT BURNED OUT. WE MADE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG THEN TAXIED TO THE GATE. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER NOR REQUEST EMER EQUIP TO STAND BY FOR US. I DID NOT MAKE A LOGBOOK WRITE-UP AS I DID NOT FEEL IT NECESSARY, NOR IS IT ADDRESSED IN OUR POLICY AND PROCS. I DID, HOWEVER, MAKE A CAPT'S IRREGULARITY RPT AND FILE IT WITH MY COMPANY PER POLICY AND PROC. I AM LIKEWISE SUBMITTING THIS NASA RPT FOR YOUR FILES, INPUT, OR SUGGESTIONS.

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.