Air carrier has problem with gear lever blocked. Discuss with maintenance. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	226971
Time
Date	199211
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	226971
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After liftoff, we found the gear lever blocked in the 'down' position. We applied the appropriate abnormal procedure and obtained delaying vectors from departure control (dca) while we evaluated the situation. We determined that this problem was a faulty air/ground sensing system. After our maintenance center assured us that all system would function normally at touchdown, we elected to return for landing at dca. Approach, landing, and rollout were accomplished without further incident. In retrospect, the only aspect of the experience I would not repeat in dealing with such an abnormality is trying to fly the aircraft on delaying vectors around the departure area of a major united states airport. It would have been better to pick a specific fix at which to hold, and then deal with evaluating, communicating, deciding, etc. ATC kept interrupting our activity with either vectors or questions, which only elevated the stress level. Both parties were getting annoyed and frustrated in the process.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR HAS PROBLEM WITH GEAR LEVER BLOCKED. DISCUSS WITH MAINT. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: AFTER LIFTOFF, WE FOUND THE GEAR LEVER BLOCKED IN THE 'DOWN' POS. WE APPLIED THE APPROPRIATE ABNORMAL PROC AND OBTAINED DELAYING VECTORS FROM DEP CTL (DCA) WHILE WE EVALUATED THE SITUATION. WE DETERMINED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY AIR/GND SENSING SYS. AFTER OUR MAINT CTR ASSURED US THAT ALL SYS WOULD FUNCTION NORMALLY AT TOUCHDOWN, WE ELECTED TO RETURN FOR LNDG AT DCA. APCH, LNDG, AND ROLLOUT WERE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT, THE ONLY ASPECT OF THE EXPERIENCE I WOULD NOT REPEAT IN DEALING WITH SUCH AN ABNORMALITY IS TRYING TO FLY THE ACFT ON DELAYING VECTORS AROUND THE DEP AREA OF A MAJOR UNITED STATES ARPT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO PICK A SPECIFIC FIX AT WHICH TO HOLD, AND THEN DEAL WITH EVALUATING, COMMUNICATING, DECIDING, ETC. ATC KEPT INTERRUPTING OUR ACTIVITY WITH EITHER VECTORS OR QUESTIONS, WHICH ONLY ELEVATED THE STRESS LEVEL. BOTH PARTIES WERE GETTING ANNOYED AND FRUSTRATED IN THE PROCESS.

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.