GEAR UNSAFE!

[Brian Scranton]

Departing the other day with my buddy's daughter in the right seat (she wants to learn to fly so I obliged her request for an intro flight) I noticed I wasn't getting the airspeed and climb I usually get. After about 20 seconds, I saw the red warning light by my gear lever--LANDING GEAR UNSAFE! I had never seen that remain on before. And she was flying!! Oh, crap. 

Thought process: hmmm, I can hear that the gear may still be extended (in the wind), I am not climbing mega fast 300fpm at 100MIAS, should I grab the yoke, head back to the airport and do a fly by or do I head back to my airport and do the same (at least I'll be at my airport...), this is her first flight and I want it to be a positive experience so I need to do this without alarm; this train of thought was maybe 10 seconds. Then I looked to my right. Saw that the gear fuse had popped, pushed it back in, gear retracted fully, warning light gone. Whew. 

Landed at my home airport without incident. So, I axe ya, what causes a fuse to blow in this instance. I know the purpose of fuses--and I understand the concept of a power surge--but in a normally operating system, why would it happen (even just once)? Faulty switch? Gear somehow got hung up? 

I welcome your schooling.

B 

[TTaylor]

Start with:

http://www.donmaxwell.com/publications/MAPA_TEXT/Dukes ITT landing gear/dukes__itt_landing_gear_actuato.htm

Our older Mooney's have a lower gear ratio landing gear actuators and put more stress on the gears and motors.   

Possible problems include:

1. Bad motor

2. Worn gears

3. Improper maintanance 

4. Weak breaker

First step is to have your mechanic inspect and lube the landing gear and actuator.  Then swing test the system to ensure the motor is not bad.  The gear upgrade is high on my list for my 75F.   

One thing to note, if the gears fail in the landing gear actuator, you can not manually lower the landing gear.

[Mooneymite]

One of the reasons a circuit breaker will pop is a stalled gear motor due to a gear rigging problem.

If this is a possibility, do you really (really!) want to retract the gear, or do you want to just put the gear handle into the down position, land and determine the problem with the plane up on jacks?

We have various procedures for getting a failed gear down, but why would anyone want to use extra-ordinary methods to retract the gear?  If it ain't feeling well, leave it down.

[Brian Scranton]

I'll (and me I'll, I mean my A&P will) take a look and report back! 

[carusoam]

Always check the manual retract system for being out of place.  The manual and the eLectric systems have a way of binding when not stowed properly.

Done really incorrectly, the parts become unusable after the clash.

Best regards,

-a-