Narrative:

I was the PF and the captain was the PNF for this leg. On the ILS final approach outside the OM, the landing gear was selected down for landing and the final descent checklist was started. The nose gear unlock red light was illuminated and the green down and locked arrow was not illuminated. The captain selected the ECAM gear page and lgciu #2 gear down and locked indicators were green including the nose gear. The other set showed red on the nose gear. With the confirmed, 3 green indication on the ECAM, we agreed to proceed to land normally. Between the 1000 ft call and the 500 ft call, as power was reduced, we got the gear unsafe red ECAM and master warning light flashing red. At that point I announced going around, and called for flaps 3 degrees. The gear was retracted. After the after takeoff checklist was completed, we agreed to try a gear cycle. Speed 180 KTS, confign flaps 1 + F fuel 6000 pounds. At this point, we separated tasks, the captain called dispatch and maintenance and I flew and talked to ATC. Maintenance worked the problem with the captain and they determined that the nose gear might be normal or it may be cocked at an unknown angle. At this point there was nothing else we could do but return for landing at ord and leave the gear extended. With the captain's concurrence, I declared an emergency and informed ATC of fuel and souls on board. The captain briefed the flight attendants and the passenger and had the purser do a preparation for evacuate/evacuation as the real possibility now existed. With the help of the jumpseater, who was giving the brace commands on the PA. The captain did his approach and landing briefing and we xferred flying duties. The approach and landing turned out to be normal. After touchdown the captain lowered the nose slowly and the aircraft tracked straight down the runway. The captain was able to stop and clear the runway using differential braking and thrust. Everything appeared normal to crash fire rescue equipment, and we started the APU and shut down the engines. At power xfer to the APU generator, the nose gear fault disappeared. A tug was called and a towing to gate was completed. In summary, everything went per SOP and a successful outcome was achieved. Having the 3 set of eyes and help with PA was helpful. The brace commands from the cabin were loud and clear and was a sound we didn't expect to hear so loud in the cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CREW RECEIVED A NOSE GEAR UNSAFE ECAM WARNING ON SHORT FINAL.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF AND THE CAPT WAS THE PNF FOR THIS LEG. ON THE ILS FINAL APCH OUTSIDE THE OM, THE LNDG GEAR WAS SELECTED DOWN FOR LNDG AND THE FINAL DSCNT CHKLIST WAS STARTED. THE NOSE GEAR UNLOCK RED LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE GREEN DOWN AND LOCKED ARROW WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. THE CAPT SELECTED THE ECAM GEAR PAGE AND LGCIU #2 GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATORS WERE GREEN INCLUDING THE NOSE GEAR. THE OTHER SET SHOWED RED ON THE NOSE GEAR. WITH THE CONFIRMED, 3 GREEN INDICATION ON THE ECAM, WE AGREED TO PROCEED TO LAND NORMALLY. BTWN THE 1000 FT CALL AND THE 500 FT CALL, AS PWR WAS REDUCED, WE GOT THE GEAR UNSAFE RED ECAM AND MASTER WARNING LIGHT FLASHING RED. AT THAT POINT I ANNOUNCED GOING AROUND, AND CALLED FOR FLAPS 3 DEGS. THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED. AFTER THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED, WE AGREED TO TRY A GEAR CYCLE. SPD 180 KTS, CONFIGN FLAPS 1 + F FUEL 6000 LBS. AT THIS POINT, WE SEPARATED TASKS, THE CAPT CALLED DISPATCH AND MAINT AND I FLEW AND TALKED TO ATC. MAINT WORKED THE PROB WITH THE CAPT AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE NOSE GEAR MIGHT BE NORMAL OR IT MAY BE COCKED AT AN UNKNOWN ANGLE. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE WE COULD DO BUT RETURN FOR LNDG AT ORD AND LEAVE THE GEAR EXTENDED. WITH THE CAPT'S CONCURRENCE, I DECLARED AN EMER AND INFORMED ATC OF FUEL AND SOULS ON BOARD. THE CAPT BRIEFED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE PAX AND HAD THE PURSER DO A PREPARATION FOR EVAC AS THE REAL POSSIBILITY NOW EXISTED. WITH THE HELP OF THE JUMPSEATER, WHO WAS GIVING THE BRACE COMMANDS ON THE PA. THE CAPT DID HIS APCH AND LNDG BRIEFING AND WE XFERRED FLYING DUTIES. THE APCH AND LNDG TURNED OUT TO BE NORMAL. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE CAPT LOWERED THE NOSE SLOWLY AND THE ACFT TRACKED STRAIGHT DOWN THE RWY. THE CAPT WAS ABLE TO STOP AND CLR THE RWY USING DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING AND THRUST. EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL TO CFR, AND WE STARTED THE APU AND SHUT DOWN THE ENGS. AT PWR XFER TO THE APU GENERATOR, THE NOSE GEAR FAULT DISAPPEARED. A TUG WAS CALLED AND A TOWING TO GATE WAS COMPLETED. IN SUMMARY, EVERYTHING WENT PER SOP AND A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME WAS ACHIEVED. HAVING THE 3 SET OF EYES AND HELP WITH PA WAS HELPFUL. THE BRACE COMMANDS FROM THE CABIN WERE LOUD AND CLR AND WAS A SOUND WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO HEAR SO LOUD IN THE COCKPIT.

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.