An A320's ECAM displayed a nosewheel steering fault after landing gear extension. An emergency was d...

Attributes
ACN	681816
Time
Date	200512
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	681816
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	681817
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was the PNF; flying normal approach. After extending landing gear we got a nosewheel steering fault message on ECAM. The captain recycled nosewheel steering switch; but nothing happened. We did a low pass by the tower to see if they noticed anything unusual with nose gear. They told us everything looked normal. We felt it was safe to raise the gear and continue with our go around. We notified ATC that we needed some delay vectors to contact maintenance; and also declared an emergency. Dispatch; flight attendants; and passenger were all made aware of the situation. Maintenance told us to do another low pass by tower. If all still looked good; we were to come back and land. We made another pass; and the nosewheel still looked to be in its normal position. This time we did not raise the gear per maintenance instructions. The flight attendants were again updated on situation; and that we would be making a precautionary landing. We told them to expect a normal landing; with the good possibility of being towed to the gate after we landed. Passenger were also updated on situation. We made a normal landing; and because the nosewheel steering did in fact not work on the ground; we were towed to the gate without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320'S ECAM DISPLAYED A NOSEWHEEL STEERING FAULT AFTER LNDG GEAR EXTENSION. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND THE ACFT TOWED TO THE GATE AFTER LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS THE PNF; FLYING NORMAL APCH. AFTER EXTENDING LNDG GEAR WE GOT A NOSEWHEEL STEERING FAULT MESSAGE ON ECAM. THE CAPT RECYCLED NOSEWHEEL STEERING SWITCH; BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. WE DID A LOW PASS BY THE TWR TO SEE IF THEY NOTICED ANYTHING UNUSUAL WITH NOSE GEAR. THEY TOLD US EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL. WE FELT IT WAS SAFE TO RAISE THE GEAR AND CONTINUE WITH OUR GAR. WE NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE NEEDED SOME DELAY VECTORS TO CONTACT MAINT; AND ALSO DECLARED AN EMER. DISPATCH; FLT ATTENDANTS; AND PAX WERE ALL MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION. MAINT TOLD US TO DO ANOTHER LOW PASS BY TWR. IF ALL STILL LOOKED GOOD; WE WERE TO COME BACK AND LAND. WE MADE ANOTHER PASS; AND THE NOSEWHEEL STILL LOOKED TO BE IN ITS NORMAL POS. THIS TIME WE DID NOT RAISE THE GEAR PER MAINT INSTRUCTIONS. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE AGAIN UPDATED ON SITUATION; AND THAT WE WOULD BE MAKING A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. WE TOLD THEM TO EXPECT A NORMAL LNDG; WITH THE GOOD POSSIBILITY OF BEING TOWED TO THE GATE AFTER WE LANDED. PAX WERE ALSO UPDATED ON SITUATION. WE MADE A NORMAL LNDG; AND BECAUSE THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING DID IN FACT NOT WORK ON THE GND; WE WERE TOWED TO THE GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.

An A320's ECAM displayed a nosewheel steering fault after landing gear extension. An emergency was declared and the aircraft towed to the gate after landing.