A MD80 nose gear light did not illuminate after gear extension but the gear down mechanical pin was ...

Attributes
ACN	962770
Time
Date	201108
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Gear Extend/Retract Mechanism
Person 1
Function	First Officer
Person 2
Function	Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe

Narrative:

During a night visual approach after gear extension we observed both main gear green lights but no green (or red) nose gear light. We discontinued the approach; maneuvered west of the airport at 3;000 ft and declared an emergency with ATC requesting arff. We accomplished the QRH procedures never getting a green light indication. We were confident that the nose gear was down since the mechanical pin was exposed however landed using the guidance of the QRH for abnormal gear configuration on 18. Cleared the runway and waited for maintenance to pin the gear before returning to gate. On gate arrival nose gear green light illuminated; main gear green lights extinguished. On fatigue; although the first flight of the day; it was the 9th of the sequence which begins very early and transitions to late evening flying plus we were over on hour late.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MD80 Nose Gear light did not illuminate after gear extension but the gear down mechanical pin was up. The emergency checklist was completed; ARFF alerted and after landing the gear was pinned with the green nose gear light ON but the main gear lights extinguished.

Narrative: During a night visual approach after gear extension we observed both main gear green lights but no green (or red) nose gear light. We discontinued the approach; maneuvered west of the airport at 3;000 FT and declared an emergency with ATC requesting ARFF. We accomplished the QRH procedures never getting a green light indication. We were confident that the nose gear was down since the mechanical pin was exposed however landed using the guidance of the QRH for abnormal gear configuration on 18. Cleared the runway and waited for maintenance to pin the gear before returning to gate. On gate arrival nose gear green light illuminated; main gear green lights extinguished. On fatigue; although the first flight of the day; it was the 9th of the sequence which begins very early and transitions to late evening flying plus we were over on hour late.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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 MD80 nose gear light did not illuminate after gear extension but the gear down mechanical pin was up. The emergency checklist was completed; arff alerted and after landing the gear was pinned with the green nose gear light on but the main gear lights extinguished.