Narrative:

During the aircraft walk-around preflight inspection it was noted that the forward nose gear doors were disconnected from their actuator arms and that a group of mechanics (3) were standing nearby. It appeared that the mechanics were conducting training. The rest of the preflight was completed revealing no other abnormalities. Company flight departed gate for lax. After pushback, the aircraft was disconnected from the tow bar and given the all clear signal from the pushback crew and cleared for taxi by ground control to runway 1R. Company flight was subsequently cleared for takeoff on 1R and became airborne. Following gear retraction, an unusual rumble was noticed which seemed to increase in intensity with airspeed. Airspeed was reduced to approximately 150 KTS to minimize the rumble. Bay departure was notified of our situation and our request to return to sfo. The landing gear was cycled in an attempt to correct the rumble, with no success. Gear was then extended minimizing rumble, with normal gear extended indications. Radar vectors were issued for our return to sfo, followed by a visibility landing on runway 28R. Upon return to gate company maintenance met the aircraft and advised the cockpit crew that the forward nose gear doors were not connected to the actuators, and that an inspection was underway to determine if any damage had occurred to the gear doors or the immediate area. No damage had occurred, the gear doors were reconnected, and flight was released and departed sfo for lax.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MADE TKOF WITH NOSE GEAR DOOR ACTUATORS DISCONNECTED. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: DURING THE ACFT WALK-AROUND PREFLT INSPECTION IT WAS NOTED THAT THE FORWARD NOSE GEAR DOORS WERE DISCONNECTED FROM THEIR ACTUATOR ARMS AND THAT A GROUP OF MECHS (3) WERE STANDING NEARBY. IT APPEARED THAT THE MECHS WERE CONDUCTING TRNING. THE REST OF THE PREFLT WAS COMPLETED REVEALING NO OTHER ABNORMALITIES. COMPANY FLT DEPARTED GATE FOR LAX. AFTER PUSHBACK, THE ACFT WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE TOW BAR AND GIVEN THE ALL CLR SIGNAL FROM THE PUSHBACK CREW AND CLRED FOR TAXI BY GND CTL TO RWY 1R. COMPANY FLT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR TKOF ON 1R AND BECAME AIRBORNE. FOLLOWING GEAR RETRACTION, AN UNUSUAL RUMBLE WAS NOTICED WHICH SEEMED TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY WITH AIRSPD. AIRSPD WAS REDUCED TO APPROX 150 KTS TO MINIMIZE THE RUMBLE. BAY DEP WAS NOTIFIED OF OUR SITUATION AND OUR REQUEST TO RETURN TO SFO. THE LNDG GEAR WAS CYCLED IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE RUMBLE, WITH NO SUCCESS. GEAR WAS THEN EXTENDED MINIMIZING RUMBLE, WITH NORMAL GEAR EXTENDED INDICATIONS. RADAR VECTORS WERE ISSUED FOR OUR RETURN TO SFO, FOLLOWED BY A VIS LNDG ON RWY 28R. UPON RETURN TO GATE COMPANY MAINT MET THE ACFT AND ADVISED THE COCKPIT CREW THAT THE FORWARD NOSE GEAR DOORS WERE NOT CONNECTED TO THE ACTUATORS, AND THAT AN INSPECTION WAS UNDERWAY TO DETERMINE IF ANY DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED TO THE GEAR DOORS OR THE IMMEDIATE AREA. NO DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED, THE GEAR DOORS WERE RECONNECTED, AND FLT WAS RELEASED AND DEPARTED SFO FOR LAX.

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.