Air carrier diverted to sfo when left main gear would not retract after takeoff from smf.

Attributes
ACN	163054
Time
Date	199011
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	163054
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

On climb out from smf, left main landing gear unsafe light remained on with gear handle in off position. Went through SOP procedures, checked gear visually through view port. Found 1 gear up and the other down. Our destination was ont. Declared emergency and diverted to sfo. Talked to maintenance over radio and found gear pin may have been left in preventing gear from retracting. Put gear handle down position and checked visually through view port. Gear appeared down and locked. Request tower fly-by with low approach to confirm gear down. During final we requested immediately right down for landing, as fuel was a concern. Tower initially said no and assigned straight out after low approach. Fuel was a concern and we again requested immediate downwind. This time request granted. During downwind we were cleared for visibility on 28R. However, a jet was on final for right and a factor. He apparently was told to go around, but didn't. We waited until jet went around and was no longer a factor to make visibility approach to 28R for a normal landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DIVERTED TO SFO WHEN LEFT MAIN GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT AFTER TKOF FROM SMF.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM SMF, LEFT MAIN LNDG GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT REMAINED ON WITH GEAR HANDLE IN OFF POS. WENT THROUGH SOP PROCS, CHKED GEAR VISUALLY THROUGH VIEW PORT. FOUND 1 GEAR UP AND THE OTHER DOWN. OUR DEST WAS ONT. DECLARED EMER AND DIVERTED TO SFO. TALKED TO MAINT OVER RADIO AND FOUND GEAR PIN MAY HAVE BEEN LEFT IN PREVENTING GEAR FROM RETRACTING. PUT GEAR HANDLE DOWN POS AND CHKED VISUALLY THROUGH VIEW PORT. GEAR APPEARED DOWN AND LOCKED. REQUEST TWR FLY-BY WITH LOW APCH TO CONFIRM GEAR DOWN. DURING FINAL WE REQUESTED IMMEDIATELY RIGHT DOWN FOR LNDG, AS FUEL WAS A CONCERN. TWR INITIALLY SAID NO AND ASSIGNED STRAIGHT OUT AFTER LOW APCH. FUEL WAS A CONCERN AND WE AGAIN REQUESTED IMMEDIATE DOWNWIND. THIS TIME REQUEST GRANTED. DURING DOWNWIND WE WERE CLRED FOR VIS ON 28R. HOWEVER, A JET WAS ON FINAL FOR RIGHT AND A FACTOR. HE APPARENTLY WAS TOLD TO GAR, BUT DIDN'T. WE WAITED UNTIL JET WENT AROUND AND WAS NO LONGER A FACTOR TO MAKE VIS APCH TO 28R FOR A NORMAL LNDG.

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.