Narrative:

Upon approach into lax, l-hand landing gear green light did not illuminate. Nose and r-hand was green. Recycled and unsafe indication remained. Performed go around. Recycled gear later at 2000 ft and l-hand was still not illuminated. Changed 1 bulb only in l-hand gear assembly and reinserted and cycled gear. L-hand showed 'down and locked,' but now r-hand and center did not show green. Cockpit nose gear pin indicator was fully extended. Replaced 1 bulb in both center and r-hand green indicators and then cycled gear. All down indications showed green. Flight attendant advised captain of straining noise she heard upon gear extension. Captain declared emergency and asked for crash fire rescue equipment to await arrival in lax. Landing was uneventful. I must admit I do not remember actually declaring an emergency, but did ask for crash fire rescue equipment to meet the aircraft when flight attendant called up. She said the straining noise occurred on the initial gear extension on the approach. ATC did ask for fuel and souls onboard. It was just unusual to see this many bulbs burn out at exactly the same time, and have a veteran flight attendant mention a 'straining' noise on initial gear extension. All worked out well and I give high praises to the flight attendants and my first officer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80'S CAPT RPTED THAT MULTIPLE PROBS WITH THE LNDG GEAR INDICATIONS PROMPTED HIM TO DECLARE AN EMER WITH SCT.

Narrative: UPON APCH INTO LAX, L-HAND LNDG GEAR GREEN LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. NOSE AND R-HAND WAS GREEN. RECYCLED AND UNSAFE INDICATION REMAINED. PERFORMED GAR. RECYCLED GEAR LATER AT 2000 FT AND L-HAND WAS STILL NOT ILLUMINATED. CHANGED 1 BULB ONLY IN L-HAND GEAR ASSEMBLY AND REINSERTED AND CYCLED GEAR. L-HAND SHOWED 'DOWN AND LOCKED,' BUT NOW R-HAND AND CTR DID NOT SHOW GREEN. COCKPIT NOSE GEAR PIN INDICATOR WAS FULLY EXTENDED. REPLACED 1 BULB IN BOTH CTR AND R-HAND GREEN INDICATORS AND THEN CYCLED GEAR. ALL DOWN INDICATIONS SHOWED GREEN. FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED CAPT OF STRAINING NOISE SHE HEARD UPON GEAR EXTENSION. CAPT DECLARED EMER AND ASKED FOR CFR TO AWAIT ARR IN LAX. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I MUST ADMIT I DO NOT REMEMBER ACTUALLY DECLARING AN EMER, BUT DID ASK FOR CFR TO MEET THE ACFT WHEN FLT ATTENDANT CALLED UP. SHE SAID THE STRAINING NOISE OCCURRED ON THE INITIAL GEAR EXTENSION ON THE APCH. ATC DID ASK FOR FUEL AND SOULS ONBOARD. IT WAS JUST UNUSUAL TO SEE THIS MANY BULBS BURN OUT AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME, AND HAVE A VETERAN FLT ATTENDANT MENTION A 'STRAINING' NOISE ON INITIAL GEAR EXTENSION. ALL WORKED OUT WELL AND I GIVE HIGH PRAISES TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND MY FO.

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.