Aircraft equipment problem. Nose gear malfunction.

Attributes
ACN	313319
Time
Date	199508
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rdu
State Reference	NC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	313319
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

At takeoff and gear retraction, we heard a pop or snap noise near nose gear, followed by heavy vibration and a red nose gear unsafe indication. Performed abnormal procedure and emergency gear extension, all to no avail in getting down and green indication of nosewheel. Extensive coordination with company, dispatch and ATC. Declared emergency and burned off 3 hours worth of fuel, under radar vectors from approach control and at 10000 ft MSL. Upon touchdown nosewheel did hold and stay locked, even though we did not have indications. No evacuate/evacuation, no injuries, no damage. Towed to gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB. NOSE GEAR MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: AT TKOF AND GEAR RETRACTION, WE HEARD A POP OR SNAP NOISE NEAR NOSE GEAR, FOLLOWED BY HVY VIBRATION AND A RED NOSE GEAR UNSAFE INDICATION. PERFORMED ABNORMAL PROC AND EMER GEAR EXTENSION, ALL TO NO AVAIL IN GETTING DOWN AND GREEN INDICATION OF NOSEWHEEL. EXTENSIVE COORD WITH COMPANY, DISPATCH AND ATC. DECLARED EMER AND BURNED OFF 3 HRS WORTH OF FUEL, UNDER RADAR VECTORS FROM APCH CTL AND AT 10000 FT MSL. UPON TOUCHDOWN NOSEWHEEL DID HOLD AND STAY LOCKED, EVEN THOUGH WE DID NOT HAVE INDICATIONS. NO EVAC, NO INJURIES, NO DAMAGE. TOWED TO GATE.

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.