PIC fails to use correct checklist with aircraft equipment problem malfunction on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	276442
Time
Date	199407
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 50 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	276442
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight took off on runway 36R in memphis and after liftoff prior to gear retraction, the 'gear door open' light illuminated. The first officer asked if I wanted the 'gear door open' checklist. I said no, and called for the gear to be retracted. After the retraction cycle the nose and right main indicated up and locked and the left main indicated unsafe with the gear door open light still illuminated. At this point I knew we needed to return to memphis for landing. We asked for and received clearance for a VFR pattern back to runway 36R. The landing gear was lowered and all gear indicated down and locked with the gear door open light out. Approximately 30 seconds later the gear door open light reilluminated and 'gear door open -- main gear extended' procedure was called for and executed. Uneventful approach and landing made and appropriate after landing procedures followed. My actions were affected by time conscious industry and consumer oriented business. My decisions were based on total information at the time including knowledge that this discrepancy was written up the night before and cleared by maintenance. My behavior could be interpreted as procedurally inappropriate. The gear door open checklist didn't seem to be designed for light on after takeoff but we are trained to use it when configuring for landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC FAILS TO USE CORRECT CHKLIST WITH ACFT EQUIP PROB MALFUNCTION ON TKOF.

Narrative: FLT TOOK OFF ON RWY 36R IN MEMPHIS AND AFTER LIFTOFF PRIOR TO GEAR RETRACTION, THE 'GEAR DOOR OPEN' LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FO ASKED IF I WANTED THE 'GEAR DOOR OPEN' CHKLIST. I SAID NO, AND CALLED FOR THE GEAR TO BE RETRACTED. AFTER THE RETRACTION CYCLE THE NOSE AND R MAIN INDICATED UP AND LOCKED AND THE L MAIN INDICATED UNSAFE WITH THE GEAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT STILL ILLUMINATED. AT THIS POINT I KNEW WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO MEMPHIS FOR LNDG. WE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED CLRNC FOR A VFR PATTERN BACK TO RWY 36R. THE LNDG GEAR WAS LOWERED AND ALL GEAR INDICATED DOWN AND LOCKED WITH THE GEAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT OUT. APPROX 30 SECONDS LATER THE GEAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT REILLUMINATED AND 'GEAR DOOR OPEN -- MAIN GEAR EXTENDED' PROC WAS CALLED FOR AND EXECUTED. UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG MADE AND APPROPRIATE AFTER LNDG PROCS FOLLOWED. MY ACTIONS WERE AFFECTED BY TIME CONSCIOUS INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER ORIENTED BUSINESS. MY DECISIONS WERE BASED ON TOTAL INFO AT THE TIME INCLUDING KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS DISCREPANCY WAS WRITTEN UP THE NIGHT BEFORE AND CLRED BY MAINT. MY BEHAVIOR COULD BE INTERPRETED AS PROCEDURALLY INAPPROPRIATE. THE GEAR DOOR OPEN CHKLIST DIDN'T SEEM TO BE DESIGNED FOR LIGHT ON AFTER TKOF BUT WE ARE TRAINED TO USE IT WHEN CONFIGURING FOR 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.