Mdt commuter has problem with gear indicating lights.

Attributes
ACN	291232
Time
Date	199412
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : geg
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : geg tower : sba
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	291232
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On takeoff gear up call was made, but stepped on by tower on a communication from another aircraft. Gear was not raised. On after takeoff checklist the gear was checked and all annunciator lights were out. On arrival in sea, gear handle was discovered down. Lights still gave an up indication. Caution lights were brought to bright position and a down indication was shown. Lessons learned: 1) at twilight dim position on the dhc-8 does not give adequate illumination of gear position. 2) although gear handle is not positive indication of position, it's position should give a suspicion of gear position. I have always observed the gear light annunciator on the dhc-8 as the only positive indication of position. In twilight conditions the lights must be selected to bright position to give an obvious indication. Gear handle should be brought into after takeoff check and scan.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDT COMMUTER HAS PROB WITH GEAR INDICATING LIGHTS.

Narrative: ON TKOF GEAR UP CALL WAS MADE, BUT STEPPED ON BY TWR ON A COM FROM ANOTHER ACFT. GEAR WAS NOT RAISED. ON AFTER TKOF CHKLIST THE GEAR WAS CHKED AND ALL ANNUNCIATOR LIGHTS WERE OUT. ON ARR IN SEA, GEAR HANDLE WAS DISCOVERED DOWN. LIGHTS STILL GAVE AN UP INDICATION. CAUTION LIGHTS WERE BROUGHT TO BRIGHT POS AND A DOWN INDICATION WAS SHOWN. LESSONS LEARNED: 1) AT TWILIGHT DIM POS ON THE DHC-8 DOES NOT GIVE ADEQUATE ILLUMINATION OF GEAR POS. 2) ALTHOUGH GEAR HANDLE IS NOT POSITIVE INDICATION OF POS, IT'S POS SHOULD GIVE A SUSPICION OF GEAR POS. I HAVE ALWAYS OBSERVED THE GEAR LIGHT ANNUNCIATOR ON THE DHC-8 AS THE ONLY POSITIVE INDICATION OF POS. IN TWILIGHT CONDITIONS THE LIGHTS MUST BE SELECTED TO BRIGHT POS TO GIVE AN OBVIOUS INDICATION. GEAR HANDLE SHOULD BE BROUGHT INTO AFTER TKOF CHK AND SCAN.

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.