Lear 35 crew experienced failure of nose gear indicating light.

Attributes
ACN	433120
Time
Date	199904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon tower : las.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Learjet 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3600
ASRS Report	433120
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	433122
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gear warning light other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While on approach for landing on runway 19L at las, we experienced a green nosewheel indicator light failure. Once the nosewheel indicator light was observed to have failed to illuminate, I executed a missed approach and advised ATC. Las tower handed us to approach, and we explained that we had a landing gear indication problem, and would like to be vectored into a safe area suitable for ATC, to work the problem out. Upon reaching an altitude of 10000 ft MSL, the FAA approved checklist was consulted for guidance. The checklist has no procedure for an alternate method of determining gear position. After depressing the 'press to test' switch, we noted 3 red lights and 2 green (main wheels). The landing gear was then cycled with the same results. The following methods were used to confirm that a burned out bulb was the cause of the problem: 1) tower confirmed nosewheel appeared to be down and locked. 2) landing gear warning horn silenced when landing gear was lowered. 3) all red transit lights extinguished. 4) engine sync light illuminated with engine sync switch on and gear lowered. 5) a second visual indication was observed by the tower before landing on runway 19L. 6) no horn was observed to sound when full flaps were selected with gear down. Although, in my opinion, there was no emergency, ATC declared an emergency on my behalf because I requested that fire trucks stand by in the interest of safety. I replied that ATC should do what they felt was necessary, and continued to make an uneventful approach and landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LEAR 35 CREW EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF NOSE GEAR INDICATING LIGHT.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH FOR LNDG ON RWY 19L AT LAS, WE EXPERIENCED A GREEN NOSEWHEEL INDICATOR LIGHT FAILURE. ONCE THE NOSEWHEEL INDICATOR LIGHT WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE FAILED TO ILLUMINATE, I EXECUTED A MISSED APCH AND ADVISED ATC. LAS TWR HANDED US TO APCH, AND WE EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD A LNDG GEAR INDICATION PROB, AND WOULD LIKE TO BE VECTORED INTO A SAFE AREA SUITABLE FOR ATC, TO WORK THE PROB OUT. UPON REACHING AN ALT OF 10000 FT MSL, THE FAA APPROVED CHKLIST WAS CONSULTED FOR GUIDANCE. THE CHKLIST HAS NO PROC FOR AN ALTERNATE METHOD OF DETERMINING GEAR POS. AFTER DEPRESSING THE 'PRESS TO TEST' SWITCH, WE NOTED 3 RED LIGHTS AND 2 GREEN (MAIN WHEELS). THE LNDG GEAR WAS THEN CYCLED WITH THE SAME RESULTS. THE FOLLOWING METHODS WERE USED TO CONFIRM THAT A BURNED OUT BULB WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROB: 1) TWR CONFIRMED NOSEWHEEL APPEARED TO BE DOWN AND LOCKED. 2) LNDG GEAR WARNING HORN SILENCED WHEN LNDG GEAR WAS LOWERED. 3) ALL RED TRANSIT LIGHTS EXTINGUISHED. 4) ENG SYNC LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH ENG SYNC SWITCH ON AND GEAR LOWERED. 5) A SECOND VISUAL INDICATION WAS OBSERVED BY THE TWR BEFORE LNDG ON RWY 19L. 6) NO HORN WAS OBSERVED TO SOUND WHEN FULL FLAPS WERE SELECTED WITH GEAR DOWN. ALTHOUGH, IN MY OPINION, THERE WAS NO EMER, ATC DECLARED AN EMER ON MY BEHALF BECAUSE I REQUESTED THAT FIRE TRUCKS STAND BY IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY. I REPLIED THAT ATC SHOULD DO WHAT THEY FELT WAS NECESSARY, AND CONTINUED TO MAKE AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG.

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.