B737 flight crew declares an emergency due to unsafe nose gear light.

Attributes
ACN	515325
Time
Date	200106
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc.airport
State Reference	UT
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : slc.tower tower : msp.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 4 flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 3200
ASRS Report	515325
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gear warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Red nose gear unsafe light illuminated 1 hour into flight. I called iah maintenance who assured me it was a microswitch malfunction and gear would operate normally. I briefed first flight attendant on possible problem but that it was highly unlikely. We placed gear down early on descent and nose gear red light remained illuminated. I then briefed ATC (declared emergency), briefed passenger and operations and first flight attendant, then attempted manual gear extension but to no avail. We burned off extra fuel and implemented 'partial gear up' landing procedures. Told first flight attendant type of emergency/evacuate/evacuation -- yes/signal/and time to landing. Landed runway 16R at slc and nose gear held up. Stopped on runway and had mechanic check nosewheel who said it was ok. Told passenger 'remain seated.' mechanic pinned gear and we taxied to gate without further incident. Only I would have done differently is be towed to gate, even though gear given ok by certified mechanic and pinned.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLC DECLARES AN EMER DUE TO UNSAFE NOSE GEAR LIGHT.

Narrative: RED NOSE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT ILLUMINATED 1 HR INTO FLT. I CALLED IAH MAINT WHO ASSURED ME IT WAS A MICROSWITCH MALFUNCTION AND GEAR WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. I BRIEFED FIRST FLT ATTENDANT ON POSSIBLE PROB BUT THAT IT WAS HIGHLY UNLIKELY. WE PLACED GEAR DOWN EARLY ON DSCNT AND NOSE GEAR RED LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. I THEN BRIEFED ATC (DECLARED EMER), BRIEFED PAX AND OPS AND FIRST FLT ATTENDANT, THEN ATTEMPTED MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION BUT TO NO AVAIL. WE BURNED OFF EXTRA FUEL AND IMPLEMENTED 'PARTIAL GEAR UP' LNDG PROCS. TOLD FIRST FLT ATTENDANT TYPE OF EMER/EVAC -- YES/SIGNAL/AND TIME TO LNDG. LANDED RWY 16R AT SLC AND NOSE GEAR HELD UP. STOPPED ON RWY AND HAD MECH CHK NOSEWHEEL WHO SAID IT WAS OK. TOLD PAX 'REMAIN SEATED.' MECH PINNED GEAR AND WE TAXIED TO GATE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ONLY I WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IS BE TOWED TO GATE, EVEN THOUGH GEAR GIVEN OK BY CERTIFIED MECH AND PINNED.

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.