A B737-800; immediately after takeoff; returned to the field due to airplane remaining in ground mode. Caused by right main gear ground sensor failure.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	657585
Time
Date	200505
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon tower : pdx.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	657585
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	658259
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper documentation maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ground sensing right main gear other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : testing performance deficiency : repair performance deficiency : fault isolation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

Air-ground system being worked on when I arrived at aircraft. Maintenance 'fixed' the problem and we were dispatched for flight. Pneumatic system master caution light illuminated on taxi out. Light extinguished when reset was activated. Continued as per the QRH. On liftoff; no aural sounds of gear leaving the ground were heard and gear would not retract without using override system. Expected aural warning was heard when flaps were retracted. Re-extended flaps to silence horn. Advised ZZZ departure that we had to return to airport. First officer flew perfect approach and landing without incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the ground shift system was worked on prior to departure but on liftoff and on gear retraction; it was apparent the airplane was not fixed. Had to use override to retract the landing gear and on flap retraction; got the aural warning. After landing; maintenance took the airplane to the hangar for jacking to check the gear ground sensing on the right main gear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800; IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF; RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO AIRPLANE REMAINING IN GND MODE. CAUSED BY R MAIN GEAR GND SENSOR FAILURE.

Narrative: AIR-GND SYS BEING WORKED ON WHEN I ARRIVED AT ACFT. MAINT 'FIXED' THE PROB AND WE WERE DISPATCHED FOR FLT. PNEUMATIC SYS MASTER CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON TAXI OUT. LIGHT EXTINGUISHED WHEN RESET WAS ACTIVATED. CONTINUED AS PER THE QRH. ON LIFTOFF; NO AURAL SOUNDS OF GEAR LEAVING THE GND WERE HEARD AND GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT WITHOUT USING OVERRIDE SYS. EXPECTED AURAL WARNING WAS HEARD WHEN FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. RE-EXTENDED FLAPS TO SILENCE HORN. ADVISED ZZZ DEP THAT WE HAD TO RETURN TO ARPT. FO FLEW PERFECT APCH AND LNDG WITHOUT INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE GND SHIFT SYS WAS WORKED ON PRIOR TO DEP BUT ON LIFTOFF AND ON GEAR RETRACTION; IT WAS APPARENT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT FIXED. HAD TO USE OVERRIDE TO RETRACT THE LNDG GEAR AND ON FLAP RETRACTION; GOT THE AURAL WARNING. AFTER LNDG; MAINT TOOK THE AIRPLANE TO THE HANGAR FOR JACKING TO CHK THE GEAR GND SENSING ON THE R MAIN GEAR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.