A B733 crew departing phx could not retract the gear on initial gear retraction.

Attributes
ACN	523340
Time
Date	200108
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx.airport
State Reference	AZ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : p50.tracon tower : phx.tower tower : phl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 24000 flight time type : 14000
ASRS Report	523340
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gear lever other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On departure from phx-pur, the gear handle would not raise above 'off' position during post takeoff retraction. So after reaching a safe altitude, we accomplished the appropriate checklist, and the gear came up, and no lights. With all checklists accomplished I instructed first officer to inform maintenance control. After conferring with them, it was decided to return to sky harbor. So we began to burn fuel to a safe landing weight, but with maintenance concurrence, we decided to see if we could get the landing gear to operate properly by cycling it a few times, which proved useless. On our return to the airport, we were informed that the remnants of a tire had been found off the end of the runway. We decided more information was required and requested a fly-by. Tower informed us that it appeared that the left front tire was either shredded or missing. We burned fuel down to a comfortable level and informed company, crew, passenger of situation and declared an emergency upon our return. The landing went smoothly, and was uneventful. We taxied clear of the runway, and went directly to gate. P.south. After tires were inspected, no damage was found!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B733 CREW DEPARTING PHX COULD NOT RETRACT THE GEAR ON INITIAL GEAR RETRACTION.

Narrative: ON DEP FROM PHX-PUR, THE GEAR HANDLE WOULD NOT RAISE ABOVE 'OFF' POS DURING POST TKOF RETRACTION. SO AFTER REACHING A SAFE ALT, WE ACCOMPLISHED THE APPROPRIATE CHKLIST, AND THE GEAR CAME UP, AND NO LIGHTS. WITH ALL CHKLISTS ACCOMPLISHED I INSTRUCTED FO TO INFORM MAINT CTL. AFTER CONFERRING WITH THEM, IT WAS DECIDED TO RETURN TO SKY HARBOR. SO WE BEGAN TO BURN FUEL TO A SAFE LNDG WT, BUT WITH MAINT CONCURRENCE, WE DECIDED TO SEE IF WE COULD GET THE LNDG GEAR TO OPERATE PROPERLY BY CYCLING IT A FEW TIMES, WHICH PROVED USELESS. ON OUR RETURN TO THE ARPT, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE REMNANTS OF A TIRE HAD BEEN FOUND OFF THE END OF THE RWY. WE DECIDED MORE INFO WAS REQUIRED AND REQUESTED A FLY-BY. TWR INFORMED US THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE L FRONT TIRE WAS EITHER SHREDDED OR MISSING. WE BURNED FUEL DOWN TO A COMFORTABLE LEVEL AND INFORMED COMPANY, CREW, PAX OF SIT AND DECLARED AN EMER UPON OUR RETURN. THE LNDG WENT SMOOTHLY, AND WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE TAXIED CLR OF THE RWY, AND WENT DIRECTLY TO GATE. P.S. AFTER TIRES WERE INSPECTED, NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND!

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.