FLC OF A C550 HAD NO INDICATION THAT THE R MAIN LNDG GEAR WAS DOWN DURING A VISUAL APCH TO AN UNCTLED ARPT. DIVERTED TO LAND AND FIRST HAD GEAR VISUALLY CHKED BY TWR. LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.
Synopsis
FLC OF A C550 HAD NO INDICATION THAT THE R MAIN LNDG GEAR WAS DOWN DURING A VISUAL APCH TO AN UNCTLED ARPT. DIVERTED TO LAND AND FIRST HAD GEAR VISUALLY CHKED BY TWR. LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.
Narrative
DURING THE APCH PHASE INTO JAMESVILLE; IND; WHILE RECEIVING VECTORS FOR THE ILS AND ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC AT THE OM; I SAW THE COMPLETE ARPT AREA; SO I DECIDED TO CANCEL IFR AIRBORNE; NOT REALIZING THAT THE CEILING WAS SLOPING DOWN FROM BROKEN CLOUDS. AT THE OM; I REQUESTED GEAR DOWN AND OBSERVED NO GEAR LIGHT ON THE R MAIN OF THE ACFT. I DECIDED TO LEVEL OFF AND CYCLE THE GEAR 3 TIMES; BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROB. I CONTINUED LOWER BUT AT THAT TIME REALIZED I COULD NOT MAINTAIN VFR UNLESS I CLB 800-1000 FT INTO VFR OVER BROKEN LAYERS OF CLOUDS. I RETURNED BACK TO APCH CTL BUT MY INITIAL CALL TO ATC I CALLED BY ANOTHER ACFT NUMBER THAT I FLEW THE DAY BEFORE IN THE CONFUSION. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OBSTACLES; MY BEST OPTION WAS 3000 FT MSL; THE MSA FOR THE AREA. I THEN REQUESTED VECTOR AND ALT FROM APCH CTL TO HANDLE THE LNDG GEAR PROB. I WAS GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT. AFTER SOME PERIOD OF TROUBLESHOOTING THE PROB; I REQUESTED TO LAND AT LOUISVILLE; KY; REQUESTED THE ILS AND EMER STANDING BY. AFTER COMPLETING THE EMER GEAR DOWN CHKLIST; I WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED BY SELECTING FULL FLAPS; ROTARY SWITCH; VISUAL CHK ETC; BUT STILL I DECIDED TO BLOW DOWN THE GEAR WHICH I COULD NOT PULL THE HANDLE OUT. THE COPLT AND MYSELF 'TRIED.' I PROCEEDED TO PERFORM A FLY-BY BY THE TWR FOR FURTHER CONFIRMATION; WHICH CONFIRMED THE GEAR DOWN. I PROCEEDED TO LAND AT LOUISVILLE WITH NO PROBS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.