Date: 201902
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: MD-11
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Cargo / Freight / Delivery
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Aircraft component: Landing Gear Indicating System
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: On visual approach to 7R; [I] asked for 'Gear Down' at approximately 2500 feet. Gear indication stayed all red. [I] called for a go around at approximately 1700 feet. Engage autopilot and started cleanup. We were told by Tower to maintain 4000 feet. Light MD-11 ballooned through altitude to 4300 feet. Disconnected autopilot and returned to 4000 feet. Once stable; I called for gear down again and it remained all red again. I then reached up and pushed the gear handle in and it went green. Returned for normal landing.Cause: Autopilot does not do well with a light MD-11 and quick level offs.I wrote up the gear handle because it didn't spring in to position. Maintenance signed aircraft off saying we didn't have it in the detent. I have been in the MD-11 for about 12 years and have seen this before. FO (First Officer) has less than 75 hours in the aircraft and it being the end of a long day I didn't realize what was happening at first.Suggestions: I should have used the 'Go-Around Vertical Speed' method.


Second narrative: On approach; we put the gear down. The gear handle stuck slightly out; and never gave us 4 green indication. So around 1500 feet we elected to go around. The Captain (Pilot Flying) elected to use a normal Max Power Go Around to do so. We were instructed to maintain 4000; which we set. The autopilot was engaged; but was slow to capture; and we went up to approximately 4300 feet before re-descending to 4000 feet. The Captain disconnected to autopilot to capture; but for some reason the autopilot disconnect warning would not cancel using his yoke switch. After 5 or 6 activations I pressed my switch and we got the warning to stop.Once at altitude; we tried extending the gear again; and it again showed 4 red; until we very firmly pushed the gear handle in; at which point it indicated 4 green. We were vectored around for another visual approach and landed uneventfully.Cause: We should have used a VS (Vertical Speed) Go Around instead of a Max Power Go Around; as that would have been a lot smoother and the autopilot would have been better able to capture the assigned altitude.Suggestions: VS Go Around instead of Max Power Go Around when able.


Synopsis: MD-11 flight crew reported unsafe landing gear indications with landing gear extended.