No nose gear extension light for commuter landing at dca.

Attributes
ACN	200924
Time
Date	199202
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca tower : sea
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	200924
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

As we approached dca, I called for gear down, as per checklist. Noticed no green nose gear light. We performed go around, and were handed off to departure, put on a heading and altitude while we tested the lights (tested ok), then performed checklist. The nose gear on this commuter mdt makes an incredible amount of noise when it goes down (or up, for that matter) and neither myself nor the first officer could remember hearing any noise, nor could I specifically remember if the red nose gear unsafe light had come on or not. We decided to do a fly by, just to get a little more information -- is it up and stowed or showing at all. The tower had a police helicopter Y shine a light on the nose, and confirmed that they could see it. This information plus the fact that a) no red nose gear unsafe light was on, B) no gear in-transit lights were on, C) no tail bumper light on, and D) no gear warning horn at reduced power/airspeed convinced us that the gear was down and locked. We landed without incident. On final, the tower advised us that 'operations (the airport's) wanted us to take the aircraft somewhere else.' I told them that it was kind of late for that kind of statement. We landed. I would not have gone to another airport, anyway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NO NOSE GEAR EXTENSION LIGHT FOR COMMUTER LNDG AT DCA.

Narrative: AS WE APCHED DCA, I CALLED FOR GEAR DOWN, AS PER CHKLIST. NOTICED NO GREEN NOSE GEAR LIGHT. WE PERFORMED GAR, AND WERE HANDED OFF TO DEP, PUT ON A HDG AND ALT WHILE WE TESTED THE LIGHTS (TESTED OK), THEN PERFORMED CHKLIST. THE NOSE GEAR ON THIS COMMUTER MDT MAKES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF NOISE WHEN IT GOES DOWN (OR UP, FOR THAT MATTER) AND NEITHER MYSELF NOR THE FO COULD REMEMBER HEARING ANY NOISE, NOR COULD I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER IF THE RED NOSE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT HAD COME ON OR NOT. WE DECIDED TO DO A FLY BY, JUST TO GET A LITTLE MORE INFO -- IS IT UP AND STOWED OR SHOWING AT ALL. THE TWR HAD A POLICE HELI Y SHINE A LIGHT ON THE NOSE, AND CONFIRMED THAT THEY COULD SEE IT. THIS INFO PLUS THE FACT THAT A) NO RED NOSE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT WAS ON, B) NO GEAR IN-TRANSIT LIGHTS WERE ON, C) NO TAIL BUMPER LIGHT ON, AND D) NO GEAR WARNING HORN AT REDUCED PWR/AIRSPD CONVINCED US THAT THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON FINAL, THE TWR ADVISED US THAT 'OPS (THE ARPT'S) WANTED US TO TAKE THE ACFT SOMEWHERE ELSE.' I TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS KIND OF LATE FOR THAT KIND OF STATEMENT. WE LANDED. I WOULD NOT HAVE GONE TO ANOTHER ARPT, ANYWAY.

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.