Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 20000; Flight Crew Type 50
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Workload; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Aircraft
During final approach; while tracking inbound on the GPS XXR approach course; the landing gear failed to extend. I requested to return to the practice area to troubleshoot the problem. The emergency gear extension checklist was used to verify all of the simple causes of no gear extension and no indications that the landing gear was extended. No breakers were blown; and the navigation light rheostat was checked to determine the gear lights were not dimmed for night operations.The emergency gear extension handle was activated; and from the sound and reduction in airspeed; it was evident that the gear extended. However; there were no gear lights to verify this. These should have come on as per the checklist. We informed Approach Control of no gear down indication and requested a flyby of Tower; to verify the landing gear position. An option for XXR was requested with a plan of using a soft field technique to verify the position of the gear with the option of a go-around if the gear gave any indication of weakness with a light touch down. The mains touched lightly and were firm; the nose was let down softly and held. It was my plan to declare an emergency if the gear gave any indication of an unlocked condition in the event I made a go-around which was not necessary.We were cleared to taxi to our FBO after touch down which we did without incident. In retrospect it may have been better to declare an emergency earlier in the event the gear had not been down and locked which was an inaction based on my assessment of the situation at the time. Aside from this inaction; I believe everything possible was done to inform ATC of the situation; and deal with it in an appropriate manner. Maintenance later determined the cause of the event was an inoperative landing gear selector switch which was not allowing power to the landing gear system.
PA28 instructor reported encountering a landing gear extension anomaly during final approach.