Unsafe landing gear indication.

Attributes
ACN	290139
Time
Date	199411
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : thu
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sal tower : tgu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	290139
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Aircraft type: boeing 757. Approaching tegucigalpa, honduras, the right main gear downlock light did not illuminate. EICAS message was 'gear disagree.' gear light tested ok. Cycled the gear with same problem. A low pass at tgu indicated gear down by control tower. While trying to figure problem, headed to nearby soto cane air force base where united states personnel were willing to help. At the same time, we discussed the situation with dispatch via tgu company personnel and decided that, due to runway lengths and special procedures at tgu, the best course of action was to divert to san salvador, el salvador. The flight attendants were told to prepare for an emergency landing. An emergency was declared with san salvador's authorities and rescue equipment was also called. Crew followed quick reference handbook procedures for gear disagreement and alternate gear extension. After manual extension, 'gear disagree' message disappeared. Accomplished all other required checklists. A low pass at sal indicated gear down. Landing was uneventful. I requested maintenance personnel verify and pin gear before continuing to terminal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNSAFE LNDG GEAR INDICATION.

Narrative: ACFT TYPE: BOEING 757. APCHING TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS, THE R MAIN GEAR DOWNLOCK LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. EICAS MSG WAS 'GEAR DISAGREE.' GEAR LIGHT TESTED OK. CYCLED THE GEAR WITH SAME PROB. A LOW PASS AT TGU INDICATED GEAR DOWN BY CTL TWR. WHILE TRYING TO FIGURE PROB, HEADED TO NEARBY SOTO CANE AIR FORCE BASE WHERE UNITED STATES PERSONNEL WERE WILLING TO HELP. AT THE SAME TIME, WE DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH DISPATCH VIA TGU COMPANY PERSONNEL AND DECIDED THAT, DUE TO RWY LENGTHS AND SPECIAL PROCS AT TGU, THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO DIVERT TO SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE TOLD TO PREPARE FOR AN EMER LNDG. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH SAN SALVADOR'S AUTHORITIES AND RESCUE EQUIP WAS ALSO CALLED. CREW FOLLOWED QUICK REF HANDBOOK PROCS FOR GEAR DISAGREEMENT AND ALTERNATE GEAR EXTENSION. AFTER MANUAL EXTENSION, 'GEAR DISAGREE' MSG DISAPPEARED. ACCOMPLISHED ALL OTHER REQUIRED CHKLISTS. A LOW PASS AT SAL INDICATED GEAR DOWN. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I REQUESTED MAINT PERSONNEL VERIFY AND PIN GEAR BEFORE CONTINUING TO TERMINAL.

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.