An A320 flight crew experienced ECAM 'landing gear shock absorber fault' message. They ran the proce...

Narrative:

Departing ZZZ. During our initial climb I called for 'gear up' but the first officer was unable to raise the gear handle. He made several attempts with no success. Then we got an ECAM message 'landing gear shock absorber fault.' 'maximum speed 280 KTS; landing gear keep down.' I asked the first officer to run the ECAM as I continued to fly the airplane. We advised the tower that we had a problem with the gear and that we would be coming back. We contacted departure and explained our gear issue and requested a place to hold while we worked the issue. We were given a hold at ZZZ VOR. I was still flying the airplane so I asked the first officer to contact dispatch and have dispatch tie maintenance in as well. We were established in the hold flying manually because the autoflt system was not working. I suspect that our gear issue was causing the airplane to think it was still on the ground. During one of the turns northbound toward ZZZ VOR; I got a call from the flight attendants. I diverted my attention to respond to them to let them know we would be with them in a moment when I noticed my altitude was 4700 ft -- 300 ft below our assigned altitude. I returned to 5000 ft and refocused my full attention to flying the airplane. Maintenance was concerned that the nosewheel might be turned 90 degrees. It was agreed upon that we would fly by the tower to get confirmation of the nosewheel position. Because it was getting close to dark I wanted to return as soon as possible so that the tower would have sufficient light to see our nose gear. We set up for a low approach to runway 19L and completed the approach descent checklist. Our fly-by confirmed that the nosewheel was in the normal position and we executed a go around. We flew south approximately 5 mi to give us time to complete the appropriate checklists including the overweight landing checklist. Maximum landing weight 142.2 and our landing weight was 153.0. We returned for a left downwind and visual approach for runway xxl. The landing was uneventful and as we turned off the runway; I brought the airplane to a stop. The emergency equipment operator requested to visually inspect the airplane. They said everything looked good and we taxied to the gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED ECAM 'LNDG GEAR SHOCK ABSORBER FAULT' MESSAGE. THEY RAN THE PROCEDURE; COORDINATED WITH MAINT; AND RETURNED TO THEIR DEPT ARPT.

Narrative: DEPARTING ZZZ. DURING OUR INITIAL CLB I CALLED FOR 'GEAR UP' BUT THE FO WAS UNABLE TO RAISE THE GEAR HANDLE. HE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WITH NO SUCCESS. THEN WE GOT AN ECAM MESSAGE 'LNDG GEAR SHOCK ABSORBER FAULT.' 'MAX SPD 280 KTS; LNDG GEAR KEEP DOWN.' I ASKED THE FO TO RUN THE ECAM AS I CONTINUED TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. WE ADVISED THE TWR THAT WE HAD A PROB WITH THE GEAR AND THAT WE WOULD BE COMING BACK. WE CONTACTED DEP AND EXPLAINED OUR GEAR ISSUE AND REQUESTED A PLACE TO HOLD WHILE WE WORKED THE ISSUE. WE WERE GIVEN A HOLD AT ZZZ VOR. I WAS STILL FLYING THE AIRPLANE SO I ASKED THE FO TO CONTACT DISPATCH AND HAVE DISPATCH TIE MAINT IN AS WELL. WE WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE HOLD FLYING MANUALLY BECAUSE THE AUTOFLT SYS WAS NOT WORKING. I SUSPECT THAT OUR GEAR ISSUE WAS CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO THINK IT WAS STILL ON THE GND. DURING ONE OF THE TURNS NBOUND TOWARD ZZZ VOR; I GOT A CALL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANTS. I DIVERTED MY ATTN TO RESPOND TO THEM TO LET THEM KNOW WE WOULD BE WITH THEM IN A MOMENT WHEN I NOTICED MY ALT WAS 4700 FT -- 300 FT BELOW OUR ASSIGNED ALT. I RETURNED TO 5000 FT AND REFOCUSED MY FULL ATTN TO FLYING THE AIRPLANE. MAINT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE NOSEWHEEL MIGHT BE TURNED 90 DEGS. IT WAS AGREED UPON THAT WE WOULD FLY BY THE TWR TO GET CONFIRMATION OF THE NOSEWHEEL POS. BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO DARK I WANTED TO RETURN ASAP SO THAT THE TWR WOULD HAVE SUFFICIENT LIGHT TO SEE OUR NOSE GEAR. WE SET UP FOR A LOW APCH TO RWY 19L AND COMPLETED THE APCH DSCNT CHKLIST. OUR FLY-BY CONFIRMED THAT THE NOSEWHEEL WAS IN THE NORMAL POS AND WE EXECUTED A GAR. WE FLEW S APPROX 5 MI TO GIVE US TIME TO COMPLETE THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS INCLUDING THE OVERWT LNDG CHKLIST. MAX LNDG WT 142.2 AND OUR LNDG WT WAS 153.0. WE RETURNED FOR A L DOWNWIND AND VISUAL APCH FOR RWY XXL. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL AND AS WE TURNED OFF THE RWY; I BROUGHT THE AIRPLANE TO A STOP. THE EMER EQUIP OPERATOR REQUESTED TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE AIRPLANE. THEY SAID EVERYTHING LOOKED GOOD AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

Attributes
ACN	804143
Time
Date	200809
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4700 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon tower : lgb.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20700 flight time type : 5200
ASRS Report	804143
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

An A320 flight crew experienced ECAM 'landing gear shock absorber fault' message. They ran the procedure; coordinated with maintenance; and returned to their department airport.