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DHC8 flight crew experienced a banging noise and flashing nose gear lights at rotation with the landing gear handle in the down position. After 30 seconds the banging stopped and the crew elected to perform an emergency landing gear extension and return to the departure airport. It appeared to the crew that the nose landing gear was repeatedly attempting to retract with the landing gear handle down.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1292677 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201509 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Dash 8-100 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Climb Initial Climb |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Nose Gear |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain Pilot Flying |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | Pilot Not Flying First Officer |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 190 Flight Crew Total 19500 Flight Crew Type 15200 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe |
Narrative:
The nose gear attempted to retract during initial climb immediately after liftoff; even though the gear handle was never moved from the down position the entire flight. A repetitive banging was heard; from the flight deck only; of the nose gear attempting to retract; presumably into the still closed nose gear door. The nose gear red unsafe light and the red in-transit light on the gear selector illuminated and cycled repeatedly on and off; in conjunction with the banging we heard. The cycling stopped on it's own; leaving only all three green lights illuminated. We elected to leave the landing gear selector in the down position. We elected to return to field and had the emergency equipment standing by in the event of a gear collapse. As a precaution; we elected to perform the alternate gear extension procedure under the assumption that the gear had malfunctioned even though it was indicating only 3 green lights at the time; and that if the nose gear attempted to retract itself again; or received a false signal to do so; that relieving the hydraulic pressure in the lines would prevent a possible nose gear collapse. We landed after briefing the flight attendant and the passengers. A signal for brace was not deemed necessary; because the gear was indicating down and locked and because we complied with the alternate landing gear extension procedure. We taxied to the gate.we left the gear selector down. We performed the after takeoff checklist with the exception of landing gear. We maintained approximately 150 knots until it was time to perform the alternate landing gear extension procedure. (The amber advisory lights for the landing gear doors were extinguished prior to the alternate landing gear extension procedure). We performed the alternate landing gear extension procedure. We notified the flight attendant and then the passengers. We landed and taxied back to the gate after the trucks looked for obvious damage; finding none.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DHC8 flight crew experienced a banging noise and flashing nose gear lights at rotation with the landing gear handle in the down position. After 30 seconds the banging stopped and the crew elected to perform an emergency landing gear extension and return to the departure airport. It appeared to the crew that the nose landing gear was repeatedly attempting to retract with the landing gear handle down.
Narrative: The nose gear attempted to retract during initial climb immediately after liftoff; even though the gear handle was never moved from the down position the entire flight. A repetitive banging was heard; from the flight deck only; of the nose gear attempting to retract; presumably into the still closed nose gear door. The nose gear red unsafe light and the red in-transit light on the gear selector illuminated and cycled repeatedly on and off; in conjunction with the banging we heard. The cycling stopped on it's own; leaving only all three green lights illuminated. We elected to leave the landing gear selector in the down position. We elected to return to field and had the emergency equipment standing by in the event of a gear collapse. As a precaution; we elected to perform the alternate gear extension procedure under the assumption that the gear HAD malfunctioned even though it was indicating only 3 green lights at the time; and that if the nose gear attempted to retract itself again; or received a false signal to do so; that relieving the hydraulic pressure in the lines would prevent a possible nose gear collapse. We landed after briefing the flight attendant and the passengers. A signal for brace was not deemed necessary; because the gear was indicating down and locked and because we complied with the Alternate Landing Gear Extension procedure. We taxied to the gate.We left the gear selector down. We performed the After Takeoff checklist with the exception of landing gear. We maintained approximately 150 knots until it was time to perform the alternate landing gear extension procedure. (The amber advisory lights for the landing gear doors were extinguished prior to the alternate landing gear extension procedure). We performed the alternate landing gear extension procedure. We notified the flight attendant and then the passengers. We landed and taxied back to the gate after the trucks looked for obvious damage; finding none.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.