Narrative:

The flight began over 1 hour late due to WX delays in ZZZ1. We taxied at over 150000 pounds in an MD83. After rotation with the first officer at the controls; the landing gear handle stuck 1/2 way up. I returned the handle to down and locked. We had 3 green landing gear indicators. Since this is common in the MD80 aircraft; I tried one more time to raise the gear with the same result. We again achieved 3 green down indications. I declared an emergency for a return to ZZZ but requested working airspace to go through the appropriate checklists. The first officer was designated PF and radio operator while I was PNF and conducted the checklist for gear handle stuck during retraction. The checklist found the nosewheel steering not locked. A normal landing then was briefed and conducted with manual spoilers and the captain at the controls for landing. Landing weight was approximately 149500 pounds and the performance charts showed this was a safe weight. Vertical speed at touchdown was less than 100 FPM with a smooth landing. No other action was taken. Crash fire rescue equipment had been requested and verified that the aircraft was in good condition and the brakes were not smoking. The brake temperature gauge never went over 100 degrees. Appropriate logbook entries were made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CREW UNABLE TO RAISE THE LNDG GEAR AFTER TKOF; DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURN LAND OVERWT.

Narrative: THE FLT BEGAN OVER 1 HR LATE DUE TO WX DELAYS IN ZZZ1. WE TAXIED AT OVER 150000 LBS IN AN MD83. AFTER ROTATION WITH THE FO AT THE CTLS; THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE STUCK 1/2 WAY UP. I RETURNED THE HANDLE TO DOWN AND LOCKED. WE HAD 3 GREEN LNDG GEAR INDICATORS. SINCE THIS IS COMMON IN THE MD80 ACFT; I TRIED ONE MORE TIME TO RAISE THE GEAR WITH THE SAME RESULT. WE AGAIN ACHIEVED 3 GREEN DOWN INDICATIONS. I DECLARED AN EMER FOR A RETURN TO ZZZ BUT REQUESTED WORKING AIRSPACE TO GO THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS. THE FO WAS DESIGNATED PF AND RADIO OPERATOR WHILE I WAS PNF AND CONDUCTED THE CHKLIST FOR GEAR HANDLE STUCK DURING RETRACTION. THE CHKLIST FOUND THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING NOT LOCKED. A NORMAL LNDG THEN WAS BRIEFED AND CONDUCTED WITH MANUAL SPOILERS AND THE CAPT AT THE CTLS FOR LNDG. LNDG WT WAS APPROX 149500 LBS AND THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS SHOWED THIS WAS A SAFE WT. VERT SPD AT TOUCHDOWN WAS LESS THAN 100 FPM WITH A SMOOTH LNDG. NO OTHER ACTION WAS TAKEN. CFR HAD BEEN REQUESTED AND VERIFIED THAT THE ACFT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT SMOKING. THE BRAKE TEMP GAUGE NEVER WENT OVER 100 DEGS. APPROPRIATE LOGBOOK ENTRIES WERE MADE.

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.