After takeoff the nosewheel would not retract or subsequently lock in the down position.

Attributes
ACN	313433
Time
Date	199508
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rdu tower : rdu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 169 flight time total : 5359 flight time type : 3728
ASRS Report	313433
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The captain called for gear retraction on takeoff from rdu -- a pop/snap sound was heard as the gear lever was raised. The main gear retracted normally but, as the nose gear approached the 'up' position, an extremely loud noise (airstream) and heavy vibration were experienced. By returning the gear handle to 'up latch,' only the vibration disappeared. We climbed to 10000 ft on vectors from rdu departure and maintained a 20 NM box pattern around the VOR for the next 3 hours. During that time, we declared an emergency and subsequent attempts at slow flight, speeding up, cycling and viewing gear position failed to get the nose gear either up and locked or down and locked. We briefed the passenger accordingly and, after burning down the fuel, we commenced what we believed would be a nose gear up landing. Subsequently, we landed and upon lowering the nose, discovered the nose gear held firm. Speculation, at this point, has it that the nose gear was somehow entangled in a gear door cable and the landing freed the gear to lock over center. Rdu controllers and ground personnel were extremely helpful and as far as anyone in the crew was aware, there were no additional conflicts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER TKOF THE NOSEWHEEL WOULD NOT RETRACT OR SUBSEQUENTLY LOCK IN THE DOWN POS.

Narrative: THE CAPT CALLED FOR GEAR RETRACTION ON TKOF FROM RDU -- A POP/SNAP SOUND WAS HEARD AS THE GEAR LEVER WAS RAISED. THE MAIN GEAR RETRACTED NORMALLY BUT, AS THE NOSE GEAR APCHED THE 'UP' POS, AN EXTREMELY LOUD NOISE (AIRSTREAM) AND HVY VIBRATION WERE EXPERIENCED. BY RETURNING THE GEAR HANDLE TO 'UP LATCH,' ONLY THE VIBRATION DISAPPEARED. WE CLBED TO 10000 FT ON VECTORS FROM RDU DEP AND MAINTAINED A 20 NM BOX PATTERN AROUND THE VOR FOR THE NEXT 3 HRS. DURING THAT TIME, WE DECLARED AN EMER AND SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS AT SLOW FLT, SPDING UP, CYCLING AND VIEWING GEAR POS FAILED TO GET THE NOSE GEAR EITHER UP AND LOCKED OR DOWN AND LOCKED. WE BRIEFED THE PAX ACCORDINGLY AND, AFTER BURNING DOWN THE FUEL, WE COMMENCED WHAT WE BELIEVED WOULD BE A NOSE GEAR UP LNDG. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE LANDED AND UPON LOWERING THE NOSE, DISCOVERED THE NOSE GEAR HELD FIRM. SPECULATION, AT THIS POINT, HAS IT THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS SOMEHOW ENTANGLED IN A GEAR DOOR CABLE AND THE LNDG FREED THE GEAR TO LOCK OVER CTR. RDU CTLRS AND GND PERSONNEL WERE EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND AS FAR AS ANYONE IN THE CREW WAS AWARE, THERE WERE NO ADDITIONAL CONFLICTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.