Narrative:

After departing ZZZ; it was noted that both the right main landing gear lights; red and green; were still on after returning the gear lever to the off position. We notified ATC that we needed to stop the climb and troubleshoot the situation. We ran the QRH checklist; notified dispatch; and maintenance control. Notified flight attendants and passenger of the need to lower the gear. It was jointly determined to return to ZZZ with dispatch and maintenance control on the radio. We notified ATC that we needed to burn 7000 pounds of fuel to be able to return to ZZZ; and were cleared to circle by center; and told we would be clear of any other traffic. Flight attendants and passenger were updated on our ETA with the needed fuel burn; and informed of their replacement flight information that was sent via ACARS to us. Recalculating the fuel remaining and fuel burn with the gear down; we departed the area for ZZZ when we knew we would be below 114000 pounds landing weight upon arrival. On our way toward ZZZ; controller was issuing holding instructions to all inbound flts. They never gave a clear valid reason for issuing the holding clearance when asked. By our calculations we would be able to hold for 52 mins. After 2 turns holding at zzzzz intersection we were cleared to ZZZZZ1. I informed ATC that we would not be able to hold again and would keep our altitude at 12000 ft; speed 210 KTS until closer to the field. Also that we needed a short downwind to final. We accepted a heading to cross over the airport mid-field at 8000 ft; giving us exactly the options I wanted. The controller then told us that we would be #15 for a long downwind landing; or we could declare an emergency. I declared the emergency; knowing that we were currently fat on the fuel to land on any of the runways; but also that we would not be able to guarantee landing with reserves being #15. ZZZ tower confused the issue by clearing us for the left side; then the right side; then left again. I told them we would stick with right as it was more than suitable. We landed with 5400 pounds fuel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 EXHIBITS ABNORMAL LNDG GEAR INDICATIONS AFTER TKOF. FLT CREW COORDINATES RETURN TO DEP ARPT AND REQUESTS HOLDING TO BURN FUEL DOWN TO LNDG WT. SUBSEQUENT HOLD IS LATER ENCOUNTERED; AND FLT CREW DECLARED EMER FOR TFC PRIORITY.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING ZZZ; IT WAS NOTED THAT BOTH THE R MAIN LNDG GEAR LIGHTS; RED AND GREEN; WERE STILL ON AFTER RETURNING THE GEAR LEVER TO THE OFF POS. WE NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE NEEDED TO STOP THE CLB AND TROUBLESHOOT THE SITUATION. WE RAN THE QRH CHKLIST; NOTIFIED DISPATCH; AND MAINT CTL. NOTIFIED FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX OF THE NEED TO LOWER THE GEAR. IT WAS JOINTLY DETERMINED TO RETURN TO ZZZ WITH DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL ON THE RADIO. WE NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE NEEDED TO BURN 7000 LBS OF FUEL TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO ZZZ; AND WERE CLRED TO CIRCLE BY CTR; AND TOLD WE WOULD BE CLR OF ANY OTHER TFC. FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX WERE UPDATED ON OUR ETA WITH THE NEEDED FUEL BURN; AND INFORMED OF THEIR REPLACEMENT FLT INFO THAT WAS SENT VIA ACARS TO US. RECALCULATING THE FUEL REMAINING AND FUEL BURN WITH THE GEAR DOWN; WE DEPARTED THE AREA FOR ZZZ WHEN WE KNEW WE WOULD BE BELOW 114000 LBS LNDG WT UPON ARR. ON OUR WAY TOWARD ZZZ; CTLR WAS ISSUING HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL INBOUND FLTS. THEY NEVER GAVE A CLR VALID REASON FOR ISSUING THE HOLDING CLRNC WHEN ASKED. BY OUR CALCULATIONS WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD FOR 52 MINS. AFTER 2 TURNS HOLDING AT ZZZZZ INTXN WE WERE CLRED TO ZZZZZ1. I INFORMED ATC THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HOLD AGAIN AND WOULD KEEP OUR ALT AT 12000 FT; SPD 210 KTS UNTIL CLOSER TO THE FIELD. ALSO THAT WE NEEDED A SHORT DOWNWIND TO FINAL. WE ACCEPTED A HDG TO CROSS OVER THE ARPT MID-FIELD AT 8000 FT; GIVING US EXACTLY THE OPTIONS I WANTED. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US THAT WE WOULD BE #15 FOR A LONG DOWNWIND LNDG; OR WE COULD DECLARE AN EMER. I DECLARED THE EMER; KNOWING THAT WE WERE CURRENTLY FAT ON THE FUEL TO LAND ON ANY OF THE RWYS; BUT ALSO THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GUARANTEE LNDG WITH RESERVES BEING #15. ZZZ TWR CONFUSED THE ISSUE BY CLRING US FOR THE L SIDE; THEN THE R SIDE; THEN L AGAIN. I TOLD THEM WE WOULD STICK WITH R AS IT WAS MORE THAN SUITABLE. WE LANDED WITH 5400 LBS FUEL.

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.