A B737-300 had left main gear unsafe light on after takeoff. Gear recycled light remained on and air...

Attributes
ACN	510385
Time
Date	200105
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 11800 flight time type : 6800
ASRS Report	510385
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gear position indication other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance FAA Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

After takeoff, we got a left main gear red light. Followed QRH which called for 'gear down'...if 3 green checklist complete. After considering condition of aircraft, hydraulic, light test, circuit breakers conditions, and asking flight attendants if they heard anything unusual or felt anything unusual (they said no, both forward and aft), I elected to recycle the landing gear (1 time). Again, we got the same indication. I then elected to return to iah and made an uneventful landing and taxi to gate. The day after this event, I was notified that the FAA wanted information on why I recycled landing gear if QRH does not call for it. Our QRH does not say not to recycle it either. However, at the time of the event after considering other possibilities, I felt that I was dealing with an indication problem, therefore I chose to recycle. Our QRH directs us to 'communicate and establish a plan' and lacking any directive (QRH, fom, afm) not to recycle gear, I feel that I was within the spirit of the QRH and more specifically the fom which directs us to use 'common sense and good judgement.' as I normally do after a mechanical situation which does not yield an immediate answer as to why it occurred, I followed up with maintenance control and they informed me that it was an indication problem, they replaced the up-lock landing mechanism. In closing, I would like to stress that if I had any doubts as to the condition of the landing gear, I certainly would not recycle it as I did.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 HAD L MAIN GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT ON AFTER TKOF. GEAR RECYCLED LIGHT REMAINED ON AND ACFT RETURNED. FAA QUESTIONS RECYCLING OF GEAR IN CONFLICT WITH THE QRH.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, WE GOT A L MAIN GEAR RED LIGHT. FOLLOWED QRH WHICH CALLED FOR 'GEAR DOWN'...IF 3 GREEN CHKLIST COMPLETE. AFTER CONSIDERING CONDITION OF ACFT, HYD, LIGHT TEST, CIRCUIT BREAKERS CONDITIONS, AND ASKING FLT ATTENDANTS IF THEY HEARD ANYTHING UNUSUAL OR FELT ANYTHING UNUSUAL (THEY SAID NO, BOTH FORWARD AND AFT), I ELECTED TO RECYCLE THE LNDG GEAR (1 TIME). AGAIN, WE GOT THE SAME INDICATION. I THEN ELECTED TO RETURN TO IAH AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND TAXI TO GATE. THE DAY AFTER THIS EVENT, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE FAA WANTED INFO ON WHY I RECYCLED LNDG GEAR IF QRH DOES NOT CALL FOR IT. OUR QRH DOES NOT SAY NOT TO RECYCLE IT EITHER. HOWEVER, AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT AFTER CONSIDERING OTHER POSSIBILITIES, I FELT THAT I WAS DEALING WITH AN INDICATION PROB, THEREFORE I CHOSE TO RECYCLE. OUR QRH DIRECTS US TO 'COMMUNICATE AND ESTABLISH A PLAN' AND LACKING ANY DIRECTIVE (QRH, FOM, AFM) NOT TO RECYCLE GEAR, I FEEL THAT I WAS WITHIN THE SPIRIT OF THE QRH AND MORE SPECIFICALLY THE FOM WHICH DIRECTS US TO USE 'COMMON SENSE AND GOOD JUDGEMENT.' AS I NORMALLY DO AFTER A MECHANICAL SIT WHICH DOES NOT YIELD AN IMMEDIATE ANSWER AS TO WHY IT OCCURRED, I FOLLOWED UP WITH MAINT CTL AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS AN INDICATION PROB, THEY REPLACED THE UP-LOCK LANDING MECHANISM. IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO STRESS THAT IF I HAD ANY DOUBTS AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE LNDG GEAR, I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT RECYCLE IT AS I DID.

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 B737-300 had left main gear unsafe light on after takeoff. Gear recycled light remained on and aircraft returned. FAA questions recycling of gear in conflict with the QRH.