Narrative:

Approximately 20 mi into the flight while climbing from FL200 to FL230, the right gear unsafe light illuminated. While called a gear unsafe light, it actually indicates that the inboard gear doors are not fully closed. We slowed to below vlo and cycled the gear 3 times. Gear operated normally. 3 green, no red, when extended. The only anomaly was 1 red light on retraction. No other indication of gear door open such as associated noise. Concluded we had indication problem, not a gear or gear door problem. At no time did we request assistance or declare an emergency, though we did inform ATC of our situation. Early on the approach, we lowered the gear with normal indications, and landed in lga without incident. Unbeknownst to us, the emergency equipment was rolled. After landing, we carried out a thorough postflt, carefully examining the gear, gear doors, the latches and microswitches. There were no visual indications of any problems. The aircraft was airworthy, we had had an indication glitch which had cleared itself. We flew part 91, empty, back to teb (our home base) with no anomalies whatsoever. As a precaution, maintenance swung the gear, but could not duplicate the erroneous indication. Unfortunately, ATC mistook a gear door indication glitch as being a landing gear extension problem. As a result, the FAA became involved, believing we had departed lga with an open, serious squawk.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LJ35 CREW HAD MAIN GEAR DOOR WARNING LIGHT IN CRUISE.

Narrative: APPROX 20 MI INTO THE FLT WHILE CLBING FROM FL200 TO FL230, THE R GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHILE CALLED A GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT, IT ACTUALLY INDICATES THAT THE INBOARD GEAR DOORS ARE NOT FULLY CLOSED. WE SLOWED TO BELOW VLO AND CYCLED THE GEAR 3 TIMES. GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY. 3 GREEN, NO RED, WHEN EXTENDED. THE ONLY ANOMALY WAS 1 RED LIGHT ON RETRACTION. NO OTHER INDICATION OF GEAR DOOR OPEN SUCH AS ASSOCIATED NOISE. CONCLUDED WE HAD INDICATION PROB, NOT A GEAR OR GEAR DOOR PROB. AT NO TIME DID WE REQUEST ASSISTANCE OR DECLARE AN EMER, THOUGH WE DID INFORM ATC OF OUR SIT. EARLY ON THE APCH, WE LOWERED THE GEAR WITH NORMAL INDICATIONS, AND LANDED IN LGA WITHOUT INCIDENT. UNBEKNOWNST TO US, THE EMER EQUIP WAS ROLLED. AFTER LNDG, WE CARRIED OUT A THOROUGH POSTFLT, CAREFULLY EXAMINING THE GEAR, GEAR DOORS, THE LATCHES AND MICROSWITCHES. THERE WERE NO VISUAL INDICATIONS OF ANY PROBS. THE ACFT WAS AIRWORTHY, WE HAD HAD AN INDICATION GLITCH WHICH HAD CLRED ITSELF. WE FLEW PART 91, EMPTY, BACK TO TEB (OUR HOME BASE) WITH NO ANOMALIES WHATSOEVER. AS A PRECAUTION, MAINT SWUNG THE GEAR, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ERRONEOUS INDICATION. UNFORTUNATELY, ATC MISTOOK A GEAR DOOR INDICATION GLITCH AS BEING A LNDG GEAR EXTENSION PROB. AS A RESULT, THE FAA BECAME INVOLVED, BELIEVING WE HAD DEPARTED LGA WITH AN OPEN, SERIOUS SQUAWK.

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.