Medium large transport has gear abnormal lights. Executes missed approach into hold, turns wrong dir...

Attributes
ACN	259430
Time
Date	199312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bka airport : sit
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4200 msl bound upper : 4200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zan
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 230
ASRS Report	259430
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On approach to runway 11 at lda, got abnormal gear light indications when lowered gear. Recycled, same things. Decided to go missed approach to get some time to resolve the situation. Programmed the FMC to hold 'as published' at sitka. Accepted the default mode of right turns instead of changing it to left turns as should have. Failed to have PF verify the pattern. We both allowed the stress of the situation and the desire to get the problem fixed to take some attention off the primary job of flying the airplane. We discovered the error after 1 turn in holding, made the correction for the next turn, got our gear lights ok, and made uneventful landing after another approach. Lessons: 1) preprogram your missed approach and hold even when you don't anticipate a reason for a missed approach. This would alleviate being rushed or distracted later. 2) with the FMC, be sure other pilot really does verify any changes made. 3) be very deliberate to verify your own changes as well, so if the other pilot accepts them without scouting or without opportunity, the chances higher for accurateness.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG HAS GEAR ABNORMAL LIGHTS. EXECUTES MISSED APCH INTO HOLD, TURNS WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: ON APCH TO RWY 11 AT LDA, GOT ABNORMAL GEAR LIGHT INDICATIONS WHEN LOWERED GEAR. RECYCLED, SAME THINGS. DECIDED TO GO MISSED APCH TO GET SOME TIME TO RESOLVE THE SIT. PROGRAMMED THE FMC TO HOLD 'AS PUBLISHED' AT SITKA. ACCEPTED THE DEFAULT MODE OF R TURNS INSTEAD OF CHANGING IT TO L TURNS AS SHOULD HAVE. FAILED TO HAVE PF VERIFY THE PATTERN. WE BOTH ALLOWED THE STRESS OF THE SIT AND THE DESIRE TO GET THE PROB FIXED TO TAKE SOME ATTN OFF THE PRIMARY JOB OF FLYING THE AIRPLANE. WE DISCOVERED THE ERROR AFTER 1 TURN IN HOLDING, MADE THE CORRECTION FOR THE NEXT TURN, GOT OUR GEAR LIGHTS OK, AND MADE UNEVENTFUL LNDG AFTER ANOTHER APCH. LESSONS: 1) PREPROGRAM YOUR MISSED APCH AND HOLD EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T ANTICIPATE A REASON FOR A MISSED APCH. THIS WOULD ALLEVIATE BEING RUSHED OR DISTRACTED LATER. 2) WITH THE FMC, BE SURE OTHER PLT REALLY DOES VERIFY ANY CHANGES MADE. 3) BE VERY DELIBERATE TO VERIFY YOUR OWN CHANGES AS WELL, SO IF THE OTHER PLT ACCEPTS THEM WITHOUT SCOUTING OR WITHOUT OPPORTUNITY, THE CHANCES HIGHER FOR ACCURATENESS.

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.

Medium large transport has gear abnormal lights. Executes missed approach into hold, turns wrong direction.