Reporter thinks minimum equipment list requirements are too restrictive.

Attributes
ACN	155995
Time
Date	199009
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 13000
ASRS Report	155995
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On departure, upon gear retraction, the gear warning lights indicated that one of the gear was not secure in the uplock position. Upon positioning the gear handle in 'off,' the gear did not fall out of the uplock position. This indicated that we were dealing with a false indication. After cycling the gear, the warning light would occasionally illuminate during flight. Even though we were dealing with a false indication, we were concerned as to whether we were forced to comply with the abnormal procedure. Operating manuals are generally written in such a way that they don't give flexibility when false indication seems to be the case. Far's are written in such a way that restricts the crew's ability to troubleshoot the system. If we had written up the aircraft as the malfunction occurred, the aircraft would have been grounded until extensive work was done. Manuals, far's and maintenance procedures need to allow more flexibility when dealing with problems like this. We discussed this problem with maintenance upon landing. They checked the switch, lubricated it, repositioned it and checked its operation. We flew 1 more leg and when the warning light still illuminated occasionally during flight, we then wrote it up. Under current rules, we probably exceeded our authority. The system needs to allow for more flexibility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER THINKS MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LIST REQUIREMENTS ARE TOO RESTRICTIVE.

Narrative: ON DEP, UPON GEAR RETRACTION, THE GEAR WARNING LIGHTS INDICATED THAT ONE OF THE GEAR WAS NOT SECURE IN THE UPLOCK POS. UPON POSITIONING THE GEAR HANDLE IN 'OFF,' THE GEAR DID NOT FALL OUT OF THE UPLOCK POS. THIS INDICATED THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH A FALSE INDICATION. AFTER CYCLING THE GEAR, THE WARNING LIGHT WOULD OCCASIONALLY ILLUMINATE DURING FLT. EVEN THOUGH WE WERE DEALING WITH A FALSE INDICATION, WE WERE CONCERNED AS TO WHETHER WE WERE FORCED TO COMPLY WITH THE ABNORMAL PROC. OPERATING MANUALS ARE GENERALLY WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY DON'T GIVE FLEXIBILITY WHEN FALSE INDICATION SEEMS TO BE THE CASE. FAR'S ARE WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT RESTRICTS THE CREW'S ABILITY TO TROUBLESHOOT THE SYS. IF WE HAD WRITTEN UP THE ACFT AS THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED, THE ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN GNDED UNTIL EXTENSIVE WORK WAS DONE. MANUALS, FAR'S AND MAINT PROCS NEED TO ALLOW MORE FLEXIBILITY WHEN DEALING WITH PROBS LIKE THIS. WE DISCUSSED THIS PROB WITH MAINT UPON LNDG. THEY CHKED THE SWITCH, LUBRICATED IT, REPOSITIONED IT AND CHKED ITS OPERATION. WE FLEW 1 MORE LEG AND WHEN THE WARNING LIGHT STILL ILLUMINATED OCCASIONALLY DURING FLT, WE THEN WROTE IT UP. UNDER CURRENT RULES, WE PROBABLY EXCEEDED OUR AUTHORITY. THE SYS NEEDS TO ALLOW FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY.

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.