Loud bang after takeoff leads A320 flight crew to suspect nose gear damage. Uneventful landing at de...

Attributes
ACN	763250
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 400
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff 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 : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	763250
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Upon initial gear retraction out of ZZZ we immediately heard a very loud bang and significant jolt to the airframe. First officer selected the wheel page on ECAM and noted nosewheel retraction seemed slow. Almost simultaneously; though unrelated we had an idg low oil pressure/overheat ECAM. After flap retraction and autoplt on; I took the plane and first officer handled the idg ECAM where we disconnected the idg per ECAM and flight manual procedures. APU was started and APU generator placed on line for the duration of the flight. After conferring with dispatch; maintenance control and my crew; our course of action was to proceed to ZZZ1; declare an emergency; and request equipment standing by in the event of 1) nosewheel collapse; 2) gross nosewheel steering malfunction; or 3) blown tire from takeoff roll/retraction or tire failure upon landing. As good fortune would have it; we landed without incident using flight manual procedures for an improperly positioned nosewheel/unsafe indication. Maintenance inspected the nosewheel on taxiway and determined it was safe to taxi the aircraft to the gate. Upon briefing the mechanics at the gate; the aircraft was taken OTS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOUD BANG AFTER TKOF LEADS A320 FLT CREW TO SUSPECT NOSE GEAR DAMAGE. UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT DESTINATION FOLLOWS.

Narrative: UPON INITIAL GEAR RETRACTION OUT OF ZZZ WE IMMEDIATELY HEARD A VERY LOUD BANG AND SIGNIFICANT JOLT TO THE AIRFRAME. FO SELECTED THE WHEEL PAGE ON ECAM AND NOTED NOSEWHEEL RETRACTION SEEMED SLOW. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY; THOUGH UNRELATED WE HAD AN IDG LOW OIL PRESSURE/OVERHEAT ECAM. AFTER FLAP RETRACTION AND AUTOPLT ON; I TOOK THE PLANE AND FO HANDLED THE IDG ECAM WHERE WE DISCONNECTED THE IDG PER ECAM AND FLT MANUAL PROCS. APU WAS STARTED AND APU GENERATOR PLACED ON LINE FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLT. AFTER CONFERRING WITH DISPATCH; MAINT CTL AND MY CREW; OUR COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO PROCEED TO ZZZ1; DECLARE AN EMER; AND REQUEST EQUIP STANDING BY IN THE EVENT OF 1) NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSE; 2) GROSS NOSEWHEEL STEERING MALFUNCTION; OR 3) BLOWN TIRE FROM TKOF ROLL/RETRACTION OR TIRE FAILURE UPON LNDG. AS GOOD FORTUNE WOULD HAVE IT; WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT USING FLT MANUAL PROCS FOR AN IMPROPERLY POSITIONED NOSEWHEEL/UNSAFE INDICATION. MAINT INSPECTED THE NOSEWHEEL ON TXWY AND DETERMINED IT WAS SAFE TO TAXI THE ACFT TO THE GATE. UPON BRIEFING THE MECHS AT THE GATE; THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS.

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.

Loud bang after takeoff leads A320 flight crew to suspect nose gear damage. Uneventful landing at destination follows.