An MD80 flight attendant in charge reported that during a gear problem, which required a return to the departure airport (dfw) the captain did not advise this was an actual emergency.

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Attributes
ACN	618721
Time
Date	200405
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dfw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial descent : approach ground : taxi landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 4.5 flight attendant time total : 11 flight attendant time type : 25
ASRS Report	618721
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : lndg gear warning other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Immediately after takeoff, landing gear went up and then immediately came down again. Captain made PA to cabin that we had a problem with the indicator light for the landing gear doors. Either the switch was in error or the doors were not closing. We turned around and returned to dfw. The landing was normal, and we returned to the gate. At no time were we told that this was an 'emergency' landing, not were we told to 'prepare' the cabin. Only after the cabin door was opened in dfw, and the fire fighter came on board, were we informed that this was indeed considered an emergency landing. At this time, the captain explained the situation to us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT ATTENDANT IN CHARGE RPTED THAT DURING A GEAR PROB, WHICH REQUIRED A RETURN TO THE DEP ARPT (DFW) THE CAPT DID NOT ADVISE THIS WAS AN ACTUAL EMER.

Narrative: IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, LNDG GEAR WENT UP AND THEN IMMEDIATELY CAME DOWN AGAIN. CAPT MADE PA TO CABIN THAT WE HAD A PROB WITH THE INDICATOR LIGHT FOR THE LNDG GEAR DOORS. EITHER THE SWITCH WAS IN ERROR OR THE DOORS WERE NOT CLOSING. WE TURNED AROUND AND RETURNED TO DFW. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL, AND WE RETURNED TO THE GATE. AT NO TIME WERE WE TOLD THAT THIS WAS AN 'EMER' LNDG, NOT WERE WE TOLD TO 'PREPARE' THE CABIN. ONLY AFTER THE CABIN DOOR WAS OPENED IN DFW, AND THE FIRE FIGHTER CAME ON BOARD, WERE WE INFORMED THAT THIS WAS INDEED CONSIDERED AN EMER LNDG. AT THIS TIME, THE CAPT EXPLAINED THE SIT TO US.

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.