An md-82 flight crew noticed they had no 'landing gear safe' indicating lights after gear extension....

Attributes
ACN	809810
Time
Date	200810
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-82
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach ground : maintenance
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 12000
ASRS Report	809810
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 5762
ASRS Report	809704
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We lowered the gear and received no indication on the gear lights of unsafe; in transit; etc. No indication at all; dead. Executed go around and declared an emergency. Worked through our published procedures and was still unable to get any indication. First officer went back and visually idented that the gear was down and locked using the MD80's 'periscope' tube that allows viewing of the visual down and lock indicators on the gear. Visual indicator in the cockpit showed that the nose gear was down and locked and it also 'felt right.' returned; made a normal landing with a gentle rollout to a stop on the high-speed turnoff. Our maintenance personnel inspected the gear and for extra safety pinned them in the locked position; so that we could taxi back to the gate. Taxied to the gate with no further incident. A fairly routine emergency with no unexpected difficulties; except one. The first officer had a difficult time viewing the visual indicators because of a dirty periscope tube. I commend him on his resourcefulness on getting it cleaned. Experience and a cool head got him through it without too much stress and difficulty with all of the passenger looking on -- in a timely manner. Supplemental information from acn 809704: our nose gear indicated the nose gear was down and locked. We depressurized the cabin and I went into the cabin to visually observe the main gear to verify it was down and locked. After cleaning the mirror on the viewing tube; I was able to verify the main gear was down and locked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD-82 FLIGHT CREW NOTICED THEY HAD NO 'LANDING GEAR SAFE' INDICATING LIGHTS AFTER GEAR EXTENSION. THEY DECLARED AN EMERGENCY; VERIFIED THE GEAR WAS DOWN WITH THE PERISCOPE; AND LANDED NORMALLY.

Narrative: WE LOWERED THE GEAR AND RECEIVED NO INDICATION ON THE GEAR LIGHTS OF UNSAFE; IN TRANSIT; ETC. NO INDICATION AT ALL; DEAD. EXECUTED GAR AND DECLARED AN EMER. WORKED THROUGH OUR PUBLISHED PROCS AND WAS STILL UNABLE TO GET ANY INDICATION. FO WENT BACK AND VISUALLY IDENTED THAT THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED USING THE MD80'S 'PERISCOPE' TUBE THAT ALLOWS VIEWING OF THE VISUAL DOWN AND LOCK INDICATORS ON THE GEAR. VISUAL INDICATOR IN THE COCKPIT SHOWED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED AND IT ALSO 'FELT RIGHT.' RETURNED; MADE A NORMAL LNDG WITH A GENTLE ROLLOUT TO A STOP ON THE HIGH-SPD TURNOFF. OUR MAINT PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE GEAR AND FOR EXTRA SAFETY PINNED THEM IN THE LOCKED POS; SO THAT WE COULD TAXI BACK TO THE GATE. TAXIED TO THE GATE WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. A FAIRLY ROUTINE EMER WITH NO UNEXPECTED DIFFICULTIES; EXCEPT ONE. THE FO HAD A DIFFICULT TIME VIEWING THE VISUAL INDICATORS BECAUSE OF A DIRTY PERISCOPE TUBE. I COMMEND HIM ON HIS RESOURCEFULNESS ON GETTING IT CLEANED. EXPERIENCE AND A COOL HEAD GOT HIM THROUGH IT WITHOUT TOO MUCH STRESS AND DIFFICULTY WITH ALL OF THE PAX LOOKING ON -- IN A TIMELY MANNER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 809704: OUR NOSE GEAR INDICATED THE NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. WE DEPRESSURIZED THE CABIN AND I WENT INTO THE CABIN TO VISUALLY OBSERVE THE MAIN GEAR TO VERIFY IT WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. AFTER CLEANING THE MIRROR ON THE VIEWING TUBE; I WAS ABLE TO VERIFY THE MAIN GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

An md-82 flight crew noticed they had no 'landing gear safe' indicating lights after gear extension. They declared an emergency; verified the gear was down with the periscope; and landed normally.