Dhc-8 flight crew taxies and departs with a gear door warning light. After retraction of gear; 'gear inoperative' light illuminates. Emergency declared; aircraft returned for landing; uneventful landing.

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Attributes
ACN	687251
Time
Date	200601
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
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
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	687251
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 2300 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	685703
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : gear indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

During taxi for takeoff; discovered left main gear door remained opened. Holding short of runway; we discussed options. Normally; the flight crews are constantly opening/closing the gear doors for preflight inspections. We felt that there was no danger or problem directly related with landing gear itself and we honestly thought the door would close normally after gear cycle. WX not an issue as it was clear skies and calm winds. After takeoff climbed at 130 KTS; retracted gear and stowed normally. Left door remained open. Maintained descent 140 KTS airspeed. Since the door remained open; caused the 'landing gear inoperative' caution since it was not complete cycle. Followed company procedure related to this malfunction. Completed appropriate checklists and procedures. Extended gear manual per flight manual. Declared emergency landing as a precaution. Landed uneventful and stopped on runway. Maintenance staff awaiting and pinned gear/towed aircraft short distance to parking. Deplaned at gate normally. Aircraft repaired by maintenance crew short time later. Was told a stuck valve. In retrospect; we should have just returned to gate upon discovery of discrepancy. We honestly did not foresee the problem after retraction 'caution' lights related.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC-8 FLT CREW TAXIES AND DEPARTS WITH A GEAR DOOR WARNING LIGHT. AFTER RETRACTION OF GEAR; 'GEAR INOP' LIGHT ILLUMINATES. EMER DECLARED; ACFT RETURNED FOR LNDG; UNEVENTFUL LNDG.

Narrative: DURING TAXI FOR TKOF; DISCOVERED L MAIN GEAR DOOR REMAINED OPENED. HOLDING SHORT OF RWY; WE DISCUSSED OPTIONS. NORMALLY; THE FLT CREWS ARE CONSTANTLY OPENING/CLOSING THE GEAR DOORS FOR PREFLT INSPECTIONS. WE FELT THAT THERE WAS NO DANGER OR PROB DIRECTLY RELATED WITH LNDG GEAR ITSELF AND WE HONESTLY THOUGHT THE DOOR WOULD CLOSE NORMALLY AFTER GEAR CYCLE. WX NOT AN ISSUE AS IT WAS CLR SKIES AND CALM WINDS. AFTER TKOF CLBED AT 130 KTS; RETRACTED GEAR AND STOWED NORMALLY. L DOOR REMAINED OPEN. MAINTAINED DSCNT 140 KTS AIRSPD. SINCE THE DOOR REMAINED OPEN; CAUSED THE 'LNDG GEAR INOP' CAUTION SINCE IT WAS NOT COMPLETE CYCLE. FOLLOWED COMPANY PROC RELATED TO THIS MALFUNCTION. COMPLETED APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS AND PROCS. EXTENDED GEAR MANUAL PER FLT MANUAL. DECLARED EMER LNDG AS A PRECAUTION. LANDED UNEVENTFUL AND STOPPED ON RWY. MAINT STAFF AWAITING AND PINNED GEAR/TOWED ACFT SHORT DISTANCE TO PARKING. DEPLANED AT GATE NORMALLY. ACFT REPAIRED BY MAINT CREW SHORT TIME LATER. WAS TOLD A STUCK VALVE. IN RETROSPECT; WE SHOULD HAVE JUST RETURNED TO GATE UPON DISCOVERY OF DISCREPANCY. WE HONESTLY DID NOT FORESEE THE PROB AFTER RETRACTION 'CAUTION' LIGHTS RELATED.

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.