Narrative:

On approach to sdf runway 17L, after initial dirty up and starting the landing checklist, it was noted that we had no lights indicating if the nose gear was down and locked (green light) or if it were unsafe (red light, light in the handle, gear warning horn). We elected to leave the gear down, but initiate a go around to diagnose the problem. I pulled out the QRH and went to the 'unsafe gear indication/manual gear extension checklist,' but decided that this was not appropriate to the situation, because we did not have any 'unsafe' indication. No other checklist seemed to apply. With the first officer flying the aircraft on downwind, I went to the nose gear visual portal and verified to my satisfaction that the nose gear was down and locked. When I returned to my seat, I took control of the aircraft and had the first officer go to the view portal to verify my findings, which he did. We turned in and shot an uneventful approach and landing to runway 17R as per approach. We never declared an emergency , but did ask on tower frequency if someone from the emergency vehicles could pin the front gear after we landed. After we broke out, but before landing, tower notified us that our nose gear appeared to be down and locked. We landed, cleared the runway, and with the emergency vehicles present, I tossed out 1 of our gear pins for the nose to be pinned, which was done. We then proceeded uneventfully to the gate. Supplemental information from acn 539985: checklist might be improved if title were changed from 'unsafe gear/manual extension' to 'no down indication/unsafe gear/manual extension.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW HAS NO 'DOWN AND LOCKED' INDICATION FOR THEIR NOSE LNDG GEAR ON APCH TO SDF.

Narrative: ON APCH TO SDF RWY 17L, AFTER INITIAL DIRTY UP AND STARTING THE LNDG CHKLIST, IT WAS NOTED THAT WE HAD NO LIGHTS INDICATING IF THE NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED (GREEN LIGHT) OR IF IT WERE UNSAFE (RED LIGHT, LIGHT IN THE HANDLE, GEAR WARNING HORN). WE ELECTED TO LEAVE THE GEAR DOWN, BUT INITIATE A GAR TO DIAGNOSE THE PROB. I PULLED OUT THE QRH AND WENT TO THE 'UNSAFE GEAR INDICATION/MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION CHKLIST,' BUT DECIDED THAT THIS WAS NOT APPROPRIATE TO THE SIT, BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE ANY 'UNSAFE' INDICATION. NO OTHER CHKLIST SEEMED TO APPLY. WITH THE FO FLYING THE ACFT ON DOWNWIND, I WENT TO THE NOSE GEAR VISUAL PORTAL AND VERIFIED TO MY SATISFACTION THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY SEAT, I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND HAD THE FO GO TO THE VIEW PORTAL TO VERIFY MY FINDINGS, WHICH HE DID. WE TURNED IN AND SHOT AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG TO RWY 17R AS PER APCH. WE NEVER DECLARED AN EMER , BUT DID ASK ON TWR FREQ IF SOMEONE FROM THE EMER VEHICLES COULD PIN THE FRONT GEAR AFTER WE LANDED. AFTER WE BROKE OUT, BUT BEFORE LNDG, TWR NOTIFIED US THAT OUR NOSE GEAR APPEARED TO BE DOWN AND LOCKED. WE LANDED, CLRED THE RWY, AND WITH THE EMER VEHICLES PRESENT, I TOSSED OUT 1 OF OUR GEAR PINS FOR THE NOSE TO BE PINNED, WHICH WAS DONE. WE THEN PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY TO THE GATE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 539985: CHKLIST MIGHT BE IMPROVED IF TITLE WERE CHANGED FROM 'UNSAFE GEAR/MANUAL EXTENSION' TO 'NO DOWN INDICATION/UNSAFE GEAR/MANUAL EXTENSION.'

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.