Narrative:

On final approach to sdf at the parcl intersection for runway 35R, we lowered the gear lever. We had indications that all 3 gear were unsafe. We advised tower of our situation, and they told us to climb to 3000 ft MSL and turn right to 090 degrees. We left the gear extended and the first officer and I completed the landing unsafe/gear handle down checklist. As per procedure, in order to get 3 green indications, we had to leave the emergency gear extension lever pulled. This caused the gear doors to remain extended. The procedure advises to stop on the runway, shut down, have pins installed, have doors retracted, and then be towed to the gate. We tried to contact the dispatcher through atl radio, but could not hear the dispatcher. I ultimately decided that our fuel situation required that we land at sdf. We had atl radio relay this to the dispatcher. At this point I declared an emergency with approach control and asked for the crash crew. We advised the passenger and flight attendants of our good down and locked gear indications, but that we would have to stop on the runway and be towed in. Landing was normal with some scrubbing of the gear doors just prior to stopping. The crash crew found no abnormal indications except that the gear doors were down. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that maintenance found the landing gear control lever switch failed and replaced the switch and the position indicating checked ok. The reporter said the door damage was within limits and no rework required.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 ON APCH AT 2300 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO ALL LNDG GEAR UNSAFE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED CAUSED BY A FAILED LNDG GEAR CTL LEVER SWITCH.

Narrative: ON FINAL APCH TO SDF AT THE PARCL INTXN FOR RWY 35R, WE LOWERED THE GEAR LEVER. WE HAD INDICATIONS THAT ALL 3 GEAR WERE UNSAFE. WE ADVISED TWR OF OUR SIT, AND THEY TOLD US TO CLB TO 3000 FT MSL AND TURN R TO 090 DEGS. WE LEFT THE GEAR EXTENDED AND THE FO AND I COMPLETED THE LNDG UNSAFE/GEAR HANDLE DOWN CHKLIST. AS PER PROC, IN ORDER TO GET 3 GREEN INDICATIONS, WE HAD TO LEAVE THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION LEVER PULLED. THIS CAUSED THE GEAR DOORS TO REMAIN EXTENDED. THE PROC ADVISES TO STOP ON THE RWY, SHUT DOWN, HAVE PINS INSTALLED, HAVE DOORS RETRACTED, AND THEN BE TOWED TO THE GATE. WE TRIED TO CONTACT THE DISPATCHER THROUGH ATL RADIO, BUT COULD NOT HEAR THE DISPATCHER. I ULTIMATELY DECIDED THAT OUR FUEL SIT REQUIRED THAT WE LAND AT SDF. WE HAD ATL RADIO RELAY THIS TO THE DISPATCHER. AT THIS POINT I DECLARED AN EMER WITH APCH CTL AND ASKED FOR THE CRASH CREW. WE ADVISED THE PAX AND FLT ATTENDANTS OF OUR GOOD DOWN AND LOCKED GEAR INDICATIONS, BUT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO STOP ON THE RWY AND BE TOWED IN. LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH SOME SCRUBBING OF THE GEAR DOORS JUST PRIOR TO STOPPING. THE CRASH CREW FOUND NO ABNORMAL INDICATIONS EXCEPT THAT THE GEAR DOORS WERE DOWN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT MAINT FOUND THE LNDG GEAR CTL LEVER SWITCH FAILED AND REPLACED THE SWITCH AND THE POS INDICATING CHKED OK. THE RPTR SAID THE DOOR DAMAGE WAS WITHIN LIMITS AND NO REWORK REQUIRED.

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.