Unsafe landing gear indication prompted crew to abandon approach to tex and divert to den.

Attributes
ACN	96249
Time
Date	198810
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tex
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv tower : abi
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 4200
ASRS Report	96249
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After calling for 'landing gear down, landing checklist,' my first officer said we did not show down and three green. The right main gear indicator appeared to be burned out because the light would not press to test. The nose and left main lights did. We climbed out of the telluride valley (airport elevation 9086') and tried to pull the landing gear annunciator box out of its socket. We were unable to, even with the help of a screwdriver. Meanwhile, the left main gear indicator burned out. So now only the nose gear light indicator was pressing to test. With 1200 pounds of fuel left at 600 pounds per hour burn off, I decided to head back on our hour long trip back to denver. We told denver center of our situation and they gave us direct denver with an IFR flight plan. When we arrived at denver stapleton international airport, they closed a runway 17L for us. I briefed my first officer on emergency landing procedure, and he pumped the gear down after we retracted it. (As a precaution.) the tower said the our gear was down, so we landed uneventfully. Maintenance later told south it was the bulbs and contacts that were bad.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNSAFE LNDG GEAR INDICATION PROMPTED CREW TO ABANDON APCH TO TEX AND DIVERT TO DEN.

Narrative: AFTER CALLING FOR 'LNDG GEAR DOWN, LNDG CHKLIST,' MY F/O SAID WE DID NOT SHOW DOWN AND THREE GREEN. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR INDICATOR APPEARED TO BE BURNED OUT BECAUSE THE LIGHT WOULD NOT PRESS TO TEST. THE NOSE AND L MAIN LIGHTS DID. WE CLBED OUT OF THE TELLURIDE VALLEY (ARPT ELEVATION 9086') AND TRIED TO PULL THE LNDG GEAR ANNUNCIATOR BOX OUT OF ITS SOCKET. WE WERE UNABLE TO, EVEN WITH THE HELP OF A SCREWDRIVER. MEANWHILE, THE L MAIN GEAR INDICATOR BURNED OUT. SO NOW ONLY THE NOSE GEAR LIGHT INDICATOR WAS PRESSING TO TEST. WITH 1200 POUNDS OF FUEL LEFT AT 600 POUNDS PER HOUR BURN OFF, I DECIDED TO HEAD BACK ON OUR HOUR LONG TRIP BACK TO DENVER. WE TOLD DENVER CENTER OF OUR SITUATION AND THEY GAVE US DIRECT DENVER WITH AN IFR FLT PLAN. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT DENVER STAPLETON INTL ARPT, THEY CLOSED A RWY 17L FOR US. I BRIEFED MY F/O ON EMER LNDG PROC, AND HE PUMPED THE GEAR DOWN AFTER WE RETRACTED IT. (AS A PRECAUTION.) THE TWR SAID THE OUR GEAR WAS DOWN, SO WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. MAINT LATER TOLD S IT WAS THE BULBS AND CONTACTS THAT WERE BAD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.