Return land mandated by aircraft equipment problem.

Attributes
ACN	299703
Time
Date	199503
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : air
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	299703
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 16040 flight time type : 10840
ASRS Report	298883
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On climb, first officer did an uplatch check. He then pressed to test the gear door open light but light did not test. After level off we tried to replace light bulb. Bulb was very difficult to remove. Suddenly all 3 red gear unsafe lights came on. We contacted maintenance and dispatch and a decision was made to return to dtw. When gear was lowered the green lights did not come on and the 3 red unsafe lights remained on. We accomplished all company operations manual procedures and gear was verified down and locked through viewing ports. On short final, the 3 red lights suddenly extinguished but green lights remained out. All gear related lights were now inoperative. Landing was normal. Supplemental information from acn 298883: dc-9's seem to have more than their share of gear indicating system problems. Viewing port for main gear very difficult to use. Takes lots of time leaving other pilot alone for a considerable amount of time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURN LAND MANDATED BY ACFT EQUIP PROB.

Narrative: ON CLB, FO DID AN UPLATCH CHK. HE THEN PRESSED TO TEST THE GEAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT BUT LIGHT DID NOT TEST. AFTER LEVEL OFF WE TRIED TO REPLACE LIGHT BULB. BULB WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. SUDDENLY ALL 3 RED GEAR UNSAFE LIGHTS CAME ON. WE CONTACTED MAINT AND DISPATCH AND A DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO DTW. WHEN GEAR WAS LOWERED THE GREEN LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON AND THE 3 RED UNSAFE LIGHTS REMAINED ON. WE ACCOMPLISHED ALL COMPANY OPS MANUAL PROCS AND GEAR WAS VERIFIED DOWN AND LOCKED THROUGH VIEWING PORTS. ON SHORT FINAL, THE 3 RED LIGHTS SUDDENLY EXTINGUISHED BUT GREEN LIGHTS REMAINED OUT. ALL GEAR RELATED LIGHTS WERE NOW INOP. LNDG WAS NORMAL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 298883: DC-9'S SEEM TO HAVE MORE THAN THEIR SHARE OF GEAR INDICATING SYS PROBS. VIEWING PORT FOR MAIN GEAR VERY DIFFICULT TO USE. TAKES LOTS OF TIME LEAVING OTHER PLT ALONE FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME.

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.