IAI1124/1124A Westwind
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 66; Flight Crew Total 3220; Flight Crew Type 512
Time Pressure; Fatigue
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft; Human Factors
We were on final [and] upon gear extension we received one unsafe light on the nose gear and illumination of the left/right hydraulic low pressure annunciators. We requested delay vectors to troubleshoot; and were granted a low pass for a Tower visual gear inspection. On short final; the gear light went green; all annunciators extinguished; and we advised Tower that we would like to return to land instead of delay vectors. We continued to land without incident and all hydraulic systems functioned normally and our information was taken down by airport operations regarding the irregularity. Upon post flight inspection; we discovered a low level of hydraulic fluid in the reservoir and evidence of a leak on from the left engine cowling. We advised our Company Maintenance team and requested maintenance to inspect and add fluid. After servicing; we cycled the engine to try to pinpoint the leak. We found it to be coming from a small plug in the pump housing. [Maintenance] procured a gasket for the plug; installed it; and we cycled the engine again. No leak. This process was on the heels of a week-long maintenance delay due to a fuel truck colliding with our aircraft en route to fuel us. There was severe weather in the vicinity as we repositioned empty; as well as schedule pressure for an early departure. In the course of events; I failed to actually write-up the squawk for maintenance to sign-off; and the work performed was not noted in the aircraft log. My error was not following procedures for performed maintenance. After a difficult week of coordinating our passengers' alternative transportation arrangements; overseeing our aircraft repairs; dealing with the poor weather and our mechanical irregularity; I only wanted the problem to go away so we could get home. I gave due attention to the corrective actions required; but failed to have them properly documented.
A Westwind 24 Captain reported that he failed to properly document a hydraulic problem in the maintenance log; citing the pressure of a long assignment away from home as a factor.