SMT ATX PLT HAS AN ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM INFLT AND HAS GOOD COORD FROM ATCT LCL CTLR IN VERIFYING GEAR DOWN INDICATION.
Synopsis
SMT ATX PLT HAS AN ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM INFLT AND HAS GOOD COORD FROM ATCT LCL CTLR IN VERIFYING GEAR DOWN INDICATION.
Narrative
ON JAN/FRI/92 AT AM40 WHILE CONDUCTING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 28 AT ALB (ALBANY; NY); I WAS GIVEN LNDG CLRNC BY ALBANY TWR ON RWY 28. AFTER REDUCING SPD AT PATTERN ALT ON A STRAIGHT-IN APCH I SELECTED GEAR DOWN. WITH LESS THAN 1/4 MI TO THE RWY; I ADVISED TWR THAT I WISHED TO GAR TO ALLOW MORE TIME TO VERIFY MY GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED ( I DID NOT HAVE A GREEN LIGHT ON THE NOSE WHEEL). TWR CLRED ME TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 01; WHICH I DID. DURING THIS TIME I RECYCLED THE LNDG GEAR AND ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO VISUALLY VERIFY THE GEAR WAS DOWN I DID NOT SEE A GREEN LIGHT ON THE NOSE WHEEL. I INFORMED THE TWR I WOULD NEED MORE TIME TO VERIFY THE GEAR WAS DOWN. HOWEVER; IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEY CLRED ME TO CIRCLE SE OF THE ARPT THE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND I ADVISED TWR I WAS ABLE TO LAND. I WAS CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 01 FROM THE R DOWNWIND. I DETERMINED THAT DUE TO THE COLD TEMP AND MOISTURE ACCUMULATED IN THE WHEEL WELL; THAT THE GEAR LIGHT MICRO SWITCH HAD SIMPLY TAKEN SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN NORMAL TO ACTIVATE. ALSO; BECAUSE THE NOSE WHEEL IS NORMALLY THE LAST WHEEL TO FULLY DEPLOY ON THAT ACFT AND BECAUSE THE GEAR IS ACTIVATED BY AN ENG DRIVER HYD PUMP; I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THE NEED FOR A GAR BY ALLOWING MORE TIME FOR THE GEAR TO EXTEND WHILE USING A HIGHER PWR SETTING TO ALLOW THE HYD PUMP TO OPERATE AT FULL SPD. I WAS NOT REQUESTED TO SUPPLY A RPT BY ATC ALTHOUGH THE TWR CALLED THE ARFF ON THE RWY AT THEIR INITIATIVE. I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT A MECHANICAL PROBLEM EXISTED SO I CONTINUED TO FLY THE ACFT PRIOR TO ANY INSPECTION. AS I SUSPECTED; THE DELAY ON THE NOSE WHEEL LIGHT WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE CAUSED BY FROZEN MOISTURE ON THE SWITCH AND DID NOT OCCUR AGAIN.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.