B737-300 flight crew returned to land due to an unsafe nose gear retraction problem.

Attributes
ACN	534046
Time
Date	200201
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pdx.airport
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 11500
ASRS Report	534046
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : nose gear light other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On takeoff from portland, or, (pdx) on runway 10L, I immediately noticed that the nose landing gear (red) unsafe light was illuminated, the aircraft was not pressurizing properly, and the noise level in the cockpit was exceptionally loud. (It was apparent that the nose wheel, or the nose gear door was not in the fully retracted position). After coordinating with our maintenance and dispatch department, and after attempting to recycle the landing gear, we decided to return to portland. After burning fuel down to landing weight, we returned to pdx and accomplished an ILS to runway 10R in visual conditions. Since all landing gear down indications were normal, hydraulic quantities and pressure were normal, and the nose gear was verified down and locked by the viewer port, no emergency was declared and an uneventful landing was accomplished. Postflt inspection revealed no damage, leaks, or pins installed. Aircraft turned over to company maintenance. Emergency equipment was called for by ATC, but was not needed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLC RETURNED TO LAND DUE TO AN UNSAFE NOSE GEAR RETRACTION PROB.

Narrative: ON TKOF FROM PORTLAND, OR, (PDX) ON RWY 10L, I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THE NOSE LNDG GEAR (RED) UNSAFE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, THE ACFT WAS NOT PRESSURIZING PROPERLY, AND THE NOISE LEVEL IN THE COCKPIT WAS EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD. (IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE NOSE WHEEL, OR THE NOSE GEAR DOOR WAS NOT IN THE FULLY RETRACTED POSITION). AFTER COORDINATING WITH OUR MAINT AND DISPATCH DEPARTMENT, AND AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RECYCLE THE LNDG GEAR, WE DECIDED TO RETURN TO PORTLAND. AFTER BURNING FUEL DOWN TO LNDG WEIGHT, WE RETURNED TO PDX AND ACCOMPLISHED AN ILS TO RWY 10R IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. SINCE ALL LNDG GEAR DOWN INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL, HYDRAULIC QUANTITIES AND PRESSURE WERE NORMAL, AND THE NOSE GEAR WAS VERIFIED DOWN AND LOCKED BY THE VIEWER PORT, NO EMER WAS DECLARED AND AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED NO DAMAGE, LEAKS, OR PINS INSTALLED. ACFT TURNED OVER TO COMPANY MAINT. EMER EQUIP WAS CALLED FOR BY ATC, BUT WAS NOT NEEDED.

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.