Narrative:

After conducting emergency checklist for unsafe gear indication and declaring an emergency with pbi approach, we requested a tower fly-by to confirm '3 down and locked.' since we were already low on fuel after flying from tkpk, we did not want any further delays after tower confirmed the gear down and locked, so we requested the tower VFR pattern to return to land. In VMC, tower gave us a heading (upwind) away from the field and instructed us to switch to approach. We declined this and insisted on staying in the tower pattern, which tower reluctantly agreed to, and we landed uneventfully. Although tower agreed to keep us in the pattern, he proceeded to lecture us for 10-15 seconds on why he would rather have us go back to approach (airspace limitations, etc). We politely thanked him for allowing us to stay in the tower pattern. Problem: though ATC was aware of our low fuel state and though we had declared an emergency, an immediate return had to be insisted upon by the crew, in VMC. Additionally, this is probably not the best time for a lecture on airspace limitations. Possible solution: when conducting controller training, ensure greater awareness of pilot leeway allowed during emergency operations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER DECLARING AN EMER BECAUSE OF GEAR UNSAFE LIGHTS, THE ATCT LCL CTLR PROCEEDED TO LECTURE CREW REGARDING NEEDED CREW ACTION AT PBI.

Narrative: AFTER CONDUCTING EMER CHKLIST FOR UNSAFE GEAR INDICATION AND DECLARING AN EMER WITH PBI APCH, WE REQUESTED A TWR FLY-BY TO CONFIRM '3 DOWN AND LOCKED.' SINCE WE WERE ALREADY LOW ON FUEL AFTER FLYING FROM TKPK, WE DID NOT WANT ANY FURTHER DELAYS AFTER TWR CONFIRMED THE GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED, SO WE REQUESTED THE TWR VFR PATTERN TO RETURN TO LAND. IN VMC, TWR GAVE US A HDG (UPWIND) AWAY FROM THE FIELD AND INSTRUCTED US TO SWITCH TO APCH. WE DECLINED THIS AND INSISTED ON STAYING IN THE TWR PATTERN, WHICH TWR RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO, AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. ALTHOUGH TWR AGREED TO KEEP US IN THE PATTERN, HE PROCEEDED TO LECTURE US FOR 10-15 SECONDS ON WHY HE WOULD RATHER HAVE US GO BACK TO APCH (AIRSPACE LIMITATIONS, ETC). WE POLITELY THANKED HIM FOR ALLOWING US TO STAY IN THE TWR PATTERN. PROB: THOUGH ATC WAS AWARE OF OUR LOW FUEL STATE AND THOUGH WE HAD DECLARED AN EMER, AN IMMEDIATE RETURN HAD TO BE INSISTED UPON BY THE CREW, IN VMC. ADDITIONALLY, THIS IS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST TIME FOR A LECTURE ON AIRSPACE LIMITATIONS. POSSIBLE SOLUTION: WHEN CONDUCTING CTLR TRAINING, ENSURE GREATER AWARENESS OF PLT LEEWAY ALLOWED DURING EMER OPS.

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.