troubleshoot the problem. >> the pilot got on the p.a. and said we're having a little trouble with the landing gear, going to be in the air just a little bit longer, that is pretty common problem, don't worry about it. >> captain mcbroom was a very experienced pilot. had tens of thousands of hours including over 5,000 hours as a captain on the dc8 he was flying that night so this was mr. dc8 expert, and that may have convinced him that if he just studied a little bit more in the manuals and talked to the people in the maintenance center he was going to figure out whether or not this landing gear was going to collapse. >> by 5:14 p.m., air traffic control knows united 173 has a problem. portland approach control clears the plane to enter a holding pattern which it does for the next hour. during that time the captain maintains close contact with the cabin crew. >> what he kept asking from the flight attendants what was the status?