After detective a nose gear door problem after departure ZZZ1, an MD83 flight crew diverts to ZZZ.

Attributes
ACN	639388
Time
Date	200412
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Rain Ice Fog other
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon tower : jfk.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-83
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial descent : approach ground : taxi landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors departure sid : white stone
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	639388
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	639389
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gear lights other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Environmental Factor Weather Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff from ZZZ1, climbing out of 6000 ft, first officer noticed all 3 gear lights were red with gear handle up. I asked ATC to stop our climb at 10000 ft and advised ATC that we had a problem and would like vectors to work it out. The first officer began working the red gear light in-flight with gear handle up checklist. We checked the manual for any write-ups for gear problems. None were found. Then we cycled the gear down. Once gear was down, all indications were normal: 3 down, gear door open light out. We then cycled the gear up and the red light stayed on, gear door open light was out, but it sounded like one nose gear door stayed open. After about 5 mins the door slammed shut. During the time that the door was open I was in contact with ZZZ1 maintenance. They could not come up with any ideas to fix the situation. So we both agreed on bring the airplane to ZZZ. I then called dispatch and let them know what was going on. (That's when the gear door slammed shut.) at that point I decided we were going to ZZZ. I then called dispatch back and advised dispatch that I was declaring an emergency and going to ZZZ. Some thought was given to going on to destination, but with a speed restr, bad WX en route and at destination, the best decision was to go to ZZZ. At that point I declared an emergency and ATC vectored us to runway 4R at ZZZ. We then set up for an overweight landing at 144000 pounds on a wet runway with a headwind. On final, cycled the gear down -- all indications were normal and the landing was smooth and normal. After the landing, all indications with the gear were normal. We then taxied to the gate with crash fire rescue equipment equipment in tow. Supplemental information from acn 639389: departed runway 13 ZZZ1 with clearance to 15000 ft. We took all the time we needed and worked the problem thoroughly. Our excellent training really pays off. We taxied to gate. Postflt inspection with maintenance showed no outright explanation for problem. Passenger xferred to flight out of ZZZ.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER DETECTIVE A NOSE GEAR DOOR PROB AFTER DEP ZZZ1, AN MD83 FLT CREW DIVERTS TO ZZZ.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM ZZZ1, CLBING OUT OF 6000 FT, FO NOTICED ALL 3 GEAR LIGHTS WERE RED WITH GEAR HANDLE UP. I ASKED ATC TO STOP OUR CLB AT 10000 FT AND ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD A PROB AND WOULD LIKE VECTORS TO WORK IT OUT. THE FO BEGAN WORKING THE RED GEAR LIGHT INFLT WITH GEAR HANDLE UP CHKLIST. WE CHKED THE MANUAL FOR ANY WRITE-UPS FOR GEAR PROBS. NONE WERE FOUND. THEN WE CYCLED THE GEAR DOWN. ONCE GEAR WAS DOWN, ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL: 3 DOWN, GEAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT OUT. WE THEN CYCLED THE GEAR UP AND THE RED LIGHT STAYED ON, GEAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT WAS OUT, BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE ONE NOSE GEAR DOOR STAYED OPEN. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINS THE DOOR SLAMMED SHUT. DURING THE TIME THAT THE DOOR WAS OPEN I WAS IN CONTACT WITH ZZZ1 MAINT. THEY COULD NOT COME UP WITH ANY IDEAS TO FIX THE SIT. SO WE BOTH AGREED ON BRING THE AIRPLANE TO ZZZ. I THEN CALLED DISPATCH AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. (THAT'S WHEN THE GEAR DOOR SLAMMED SHUT.) AT THAT POINT I DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO ZZZ. I THEN CALLED DISPATCH BACK AND ADVISED DISPATCH THAT I WAS DECLARING AN EMER AND GOING TO ZZZ. SOME THOUGHT WAS GIVEN TO GOING ON TO DEST, BUT WITH A SPD RESTR, BAD WX ENRTE AND AT DEST, THE BEST DECISION WAS TO GO TO ZZZ. AT THAT POINT I DECLARED AN EMER AND ATC VECTORED US TO RWY 4R AT ZZZ. WE THEN SET UP FOR AN OVERWT LNDG AT 144000 LBS ON A WET RWY WITH A HEADWIND. ON FINAL, CYCLED THE GEAR DOWN -- ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL AND THE LNDG WAS SMOOTH AND NORMAL. AFTER THE LNDG, ALL INDICATIONS WITH THE GEAR WERE NORMAL. WE THEN TAXIED TO THE GATE WITH CFR EQUIP IN TOW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 639389: DEPARTED RWY 13 ZZZ1 WITH CLRNC TO 15000 FT. WE TOOK ALL THE TIME WE NEEDED AND WORKED THE PROB THOROUGHLY. OUR EXCELLENT TRAINING REALLY PAYS OFF. WE TAXIED TO GATE. POSTFLT INSPECTION WITH MAINT SHOWED NO OUTRIGHT EXPLANATION FOR PROB. PAX XFERRED TO FLT OUT OF ZZZ.

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.