Narrative:

Normal takeoff; day VFR at ZZZ. About 1000 ft AGL; tower notified us that we appeared to have some fluid trailing from the aircraft. Almost immediately thereafter; we started getting ECAM warnings from the aircraft concerning the green hydraulic system. After about 30 more seconds; we realized that the quantity on the green hydraulic system was very low (near zero); and that we should return to ZZZ. The captain ran the checklists; including manual landing gear extension and overweight landing. We leveled off at 3000 ft and received vectors from ATC for very wide right traffic pattern. A 5 second 5 KT flap overspd may have occurred after takeoff due to slow flap retraction. (The speed tape showed it well within normal limits; but the ECAM went off very briefly anyway). We notified ATC that we would need to be towed off the runway. We declared an emergency. We intercepted final around 10 mi out and a normal landing was executed. We used differential braking to maintain centerline and stopped on the runway; where rescue vehicles were waiting. Brake temperatures remained well below 300. About 1 min later; a tug and city escort showed up and towed us back to the gate where the passenger deplaned. ATC; station; and city support were excellent. Total flight time was 15 mins. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: it was discovered on post flight that a swivel fitting in the left wheel well had ceased to swivel at some point putting a kink in the hydraulic line each time the gear was retracted; until it finally failed. The reporter thought the tower was very observant to see and report the leak.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW EXPERIENCES GREEN HYDRAULIC FAILURE ON TKOF; EMERGENCY IS DECLARED AND AFTER MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION A SAFE LANDING ENSUES WITH TOW TO GATE.

Narrative: NORMAL TKOF; DAY VFR AT ZZZ. ABOUT 1000 FT AGL; TWR NOTIFIED US THAT WE APPEARED TO HAVE SOME FLUID TRAILING FROM THE ACFT. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER; WE STARTED GETTING ECAM WARNINGS FROM THE ACFT CONCERNING THE GREEN HYD SYS. AFTER ABOUT 30 MORE SECONDS; WE REALIZED THAT THE QUANTITY ON THE GREEN HYD SYS WAS VERY LOW (NEAR ZERO); AND THAT WE SHOULD RETURN TO ZZZ. THE CAPT RAN THE CHKLISTS; INCLUDING MANUAL LNDG GEAR EXTENSION AND OVERWT LNDG. WE LEVELED OFF AT 3000 FT AND RECEIVED VECTORS FROM ATC FOR VERY WIDE R TFC PATTERN. A 5 SECOND 5 KT FLAP OVERSPD MAY HAVE OCCURRED AFTER TKOF DUE TO SLOW FLAP RETRACTION. (THE SPD TAPE SHOWED IT WELL WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS; BUT THE ECAM WENT OFF VERY BRIEFLY ANYWAY). WE NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE WOULD NEED TO BE TOWED OFF THE RWY. WE DECLARED AN EMER. WE INTERCEPTED FINAL AROUND 10 MI OUT AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS EXECUTED. WE USED DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING TO MAINTAIN CTRLINE AND STOPPED ON THE RWY; WHERE RESCUE VEHICLES WERE WAITING. BRAKE TEMPS REMAINED WELL BELOW 300. ABOUT 1 MIN LATER; A TUG AND CITY ESCORT SHOWED UP AND TOWED US BACK TO THE GATE WHERE THE PAX DEPLANED. ATC; STATION; AND CITY SUPPORT WERE EXCELLENT. TOTAL FLT TIME WAS 15 MINS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: IT WAS DISCOVERED ON POST FLIGHT THAT A SWIVEL FITTING IN THE LEFT WHEEL WELL HAD CEASED TO SWIVEL AT SOME POINT PUTTING A KINK IN THE HYDRAULIC LINE EACH TIME THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED; UNTIL IT FINALLY FAILED. THE REPORTER THOUGHT THE TOWER WAS VERY OBSERVANT TO SEE AND REPORT THE LEAK.

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.