Narrative:

Shortly after departure after the gear and flaps were up, the so noticed the #1 a system hydraulic pump low pressure light on and the a system quantity at 0. We declared an emergency and requested vectors from mia departure while we accomplished our checklist items and made notification to our company. The gear had to be manually lowered and the flaps lowered by the alternate system. We landed uneventfully and were towed to the gate. The first officer flew the aircraft while I coordinated all actions in-flight. This worked well and is how we train at our company. I do brief all my first officer's prior to trips that, during an emergency, the first officer will do the flying and talking to ATC and use of the autoplt is suggested. During the initial part of the emergency, I remembered to set the autoplt elevator servo to the B system and notifying the first officer of that so he could use the autoplt, but he did not use it during the flight while being vectored around. I should have insisted that he use it as he seemed a little overloaded while trying to hand fly and talk to ATC at the same time. This, in turn, distracted me slightly as I tended to watch him more than might have been necessary had he used the autoplt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT ACR ACFT DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURN LAND DUE TO ACFT HYD PROB SHORTLY AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER DEP AFTER THE GEAR AND FLAPS WERE UP, THE SO NOTICED THE #1 A SYS HYD PUMP LOW PRESSURE LIGHT ON AND THE A SYS QUANTITY AT 0. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED VECTORS FROM MIA DEP WHILE WE ACCOMPLISHED OUR CHKLIST ITEMS AND MADE NOTIFICATION TO OUR COMPANY. THE GEAR HAD TO BE MANUALLY LOWERED AND THE FLAPS LOWERED BY THE ALTERNATE SYS. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AND WERE TOWED TO THE GATE. THE FO FLEW THE ACFT WHILE I COORDINATED ALL ACTIONS INFLT. THIS WORKED WELL AND IS HOW WE TRAIN AT OUR COMPANY. I DO BRIEF ALL MY FO'S PRIOR TO TRIPS THAT, DURING AN EMER, THE FO WILL DO THE FLYING AND TALKING TO ATC AND USE OF THE AUTOPLT IS SUGGESTED. DURING THE INITIAL PART OF THE EMER, I REMEMBERED TO SET THE AUTOPLT ELEVATOR SERVO TO THE B SYS AND NOTIFYING THE FO OF THAT SO HE COULD USE THE AUTOPLT, BUT HE DID NOT USE IT DURING THE FLT WHILE BEING VECTORED AROUND. I SHOULD HAVE INSISTED THAT HE USE IT AS HE SEEMED A LITTLE OVERLOADED WHILE TRYING TO HAND FLY AND TALK TO ATC AT THE SAME TIME. THIS, IN TURN, DISTRACTED ME SLIGHTLY AS I TENDED TO WATCH HIM MORE THAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN NECESSARY HAD HE USED THE AUTOPLT.

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.