A300 crew was unable to retract the landing gear on departure for an overwater flight, and returned ...

Attributes
ACN	559599
Time
Date	200207
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk.airport
State Reference	NY
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 5
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 13.5 flight attendant time total : 13.5 flight attendant time type : 80
ASRS Report	559599
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : lndg gear lever indication other flight crewa other other : 2
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed as precaution none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

A few moments after takeoff, flight attendant #1 purser called us on the interphone to tell us that she thought something was not normal because she did not hear the landing gear coming up by the time it would normally do, and told us to stay alert to any situation that may arise. When she was about to call the captain, he called her to tell her about the situation. There was a problem with the landing gear and we were going back to jfk. We circled around for a considerable amount of time in order to burn fuel so we could be able to land safely. Captain made a PA to explain to the passenger about the situation and what was going to be done. Flight attendant #1 purser made a PA in spanish as well to translate. The situation was stressful, many passenger were nervous, did not seem to understand very well the situation. Would like to point out that flight attendant #1 purser did a very good job trying to reassure, calm and inform the passenger in the cabin during the situation, as well did the rest of the crew. We always keep in mind that traveling public is very sensitive to any unexpected situation, after all the ordeal and unfortunate incidents that our industry has been through in the last months, so we are always very patient and cooperative with them.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 CREW WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THE LNDG GEAR ON DEP FOR AN OVERWATER FLT, AND RETURNED TO THEIR DEP STATION.

Narrative: A FEW MOMENTS AFTER TKOF, FLT ATTENDANT #1 PURSER CALLED US ON THE INTERPHONE TO TELL US THAT SHE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS NOT NORMAL BECAUSE SHE DID NOT HEAR THE LNDG GEAR COMING UP BY THE TIME IT WOULD NORMALLY DO, AND TOLD US TO STAY ALERT TO ANY SIT THAT MAY ARISE. WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT TO CALL THE CAPT, HE CALLED HER TO TELL HER ABOUT THE SIT. THERE WAS A PROB WITH THE LNDG GEAR AND WE WERE GOING BACK TO JFK. WE CIRCLED AROUND FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME IN ORDER TO BURN FUEL SO WE COULD BE ABLE TO LAND SAFELY. CAPT MADE A PA TO EXPLAIN TO THE PAX ABOUT THE SIT AND WHAT WAS GOING TO BE DONE. FLT ATTENDANT #1 PURSER MADE A PA IN SPANISH AS WELL TO TRANSLATE. THE SIT WAS STRESSFUL, MANY PAX WERE NERVOUS, DID NOT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND VERY WELL THE SIT. WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT FLT ATTENDANT #1 PURSER DID A VERY GOOD JOB TRYING TO REASSURE, CALM AND INFORM THE PAX IN THE CABIN DURING THE SIT, AS WELL DID THE REST OF THE CREW. WE ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THAT TRAVELING PUBLIC IS VERY SENSITIVE TO ANY UNEXPECTED SIT, AFTER ALL THE ORDEAL AND UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS THAT OUR INDUSTRY HAS BEEN THROUGH IN THE LAST MONTHS, SO WE ARE ALWAYS VERY PATIENT AND COOPERATIVE WITH THEM.

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.

A300 crew was unable to retract the landing gear on departure for an overwater flight, and returned to their departure station.