Narrative:

On approach into ZZZ, when I called for 'gear down, before landing checklist' (I was the PF) the gear failed to extend. We declared an emergency, broke off from our approach into runway 2L, and proceeded to do an abnormal manual gear extension checklist. When the abnormal checklist was completed, and the gear indicated 3 down and locked, we notified ZZZ approach we were ready to return for landing. They cleared us for the approach. We briefed the passenger on the situation with the gear and told them to review the briefing cards on crash position. With the cabin secure, we commenced landing on runway 2L without incident. We rolled off on a high speed and stopped the aircraft. While the first officer evacuate/evacuationed the passenger, I shut down the aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the gear on this aircraft has an electrically powered hydraulic pump which operates the landing gear. When maintenance investigated the discrepancy, they reported the electrical limit switches that control the electric motor were very dirty and gummed up, preventing proper operation. Maintenance cleaned the switches and did multiple retraction tests with the aircraft on jacks. They were successful. The reporter said she has flown the aircraft a number of times since the incident, and the gear works 9 out of 10 times. The 10TH time requires a manual extension. The air carrier has stated they are unwilling to do the maintenance necessary to get a reliable fix. The crews are just going to have to live with it. The captain stated the union safety representative is not able to pressure the air carrier to perform proper maintenance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B190 CREW WAS REQUIRED TO USE THE MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION SYS TO GET A DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION FOR THE LNDG GEAR.

Narrative: ON APCH INTO ZZZ, WHEN I CALLED FOR 'GEAR DOWN, BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST' (I WAS THE PF) THE GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND. WE DECLARED AN EMER, BROKE OFF FROM OUR APCH INTO RWY 2L, AND PROCEEDED TO DO AN ABNORMAL MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION CHKLIST. WHEN THE ABNORMAL CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED, AND THE GEAR INDICATED 3 DOWN AND LOCKED, WE NOTIFIED ZZZ APCH WE WERE READY TO RETURN FOR LNDG. THEY CLRED US FOR THE APCH. WE BRIEFED THE PAX ON THE SIT WITH THE GEAR AND TOLD THEM TO REVIEW THE BRIEFING CARDS ON CRASH POS. WITH THE CABIN SECURE, WE COMMENCED LNDG ON RWY 2L WITHOUT INCIDENT. WE ROLLED OFF ON A HIGH SPD AND STOPPED THE ACFT. WHILE THE FO EVACED THE PAX, I SHUT DOWN THE ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE GEAR ON THIS ACFT HAS AN ELECTRICALLY POWERED HYD PUMP WHICH OPERATES THE LNDG GEAR. WHEN MAINT INVESTIGATED THE DISCREPANCY, THEY RPTED THE ELECTRICAL LIMIT SWITCHES THAT CTL THE ELECTRIC MOTOR WERE VERY DIRTY AND GUMMED UP, PREVENTING PROPER OP. MAINT CLEANED THE SWITCHES AND DID MULTIPLE RETRACTION TESTS WITH THE ACFT ON JACKS. THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL. THE RPTR SAID SHE HAS FLOWN THE ACFT A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE THE INCIDENT, AND THE GEAR WORKS 9 OUT OF 10 TIMES. THE 10TH TIME REQUIRES A MANUAL EXTENSION. THE ACR HAS STATED THEY ARE UNWILLING TO DO THE MAINT NECESSARY TO GET A RELIABLE FIX. THE CREWS ARE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT. THE CAPT STATED THE UNION SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE IS NOT ABLE TO PRESSURE THE ACR TO PERFORM PROPER MAINT.

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.