Narrative:

After liftoff; the gear lever was raised. We observed normal retraction of the main landing gear. During nose gear retraction; we observed an abnormal clunk sound from nosewheel well area; and the red nose gear unsafe light remained on. We also detected a loud air noise characteristic of the nose gear doors in the open position. After waiting for a period of time longer than normal gear retraction cycle; we coordination with ATC and leveled off at 4000 ft MSL and 190 KIAS with flaps at 11 degrees. In accordance with the procedures; the gear lever was placed to the down position; and the landing gear extended normally. Upon completion of the QRH procedures; the aircraft status was all landing gear indicating in the down and locked confign with no abnormal air noise detected. In accordance with the QRH caution about the possibility of damage to the landing gear during the previous retraction cycle; we elected to leave the gear in the down and locked position for the remainder of the flight. Given the proximity of a large winter storm approaching the ZZZ area from the ssw and the existence of more than adequate facilities at ZZZ; we decided to return to ZZZ. All normal checklists were completed. We notified flight attendants and passenger of the situation. We notified flight control via ACARS. After declaring the emergency and coordination with ATC; we made an uneventful landing at ZZZ on the longest runway available with airport rescue crews in position as a precaution. ZZZ tower personnel performed a visual inspection of the nose gear while on final approach and reported that it appeared normal. After landing gear operation appeared normal. Secured from the emergency and taxied to parking at the gate. The postflt visual inspection of nose gear appeared normal. We noted strut extension of approximately 3-4 inches with no leak noted. After coordinating with maintenance control; the flight was canceled. Area WX conditions prevented extended gear down flight due to inability to avoid icing conditions. Logbook entry was made. Maintenance was performed later that day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ABNORMAL NOSE GEAR RETRACTION RESULTS IN RETURN TO DEP ARPT FOR MD88.

Narrative: AFTER LIFTOFF; THE GEAR LEVER WAS RAISED. WE OBSERVED NORMAL RETRACTION OF THE MAIN LNDG GEAR. DURING NOSE GEAR RETRACTION; WE OBSERVED AN ABNORMAL CLUNK SOUND FROM NOSEWHEEL WELL AREA; AND THE RED NOSE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT REMAINED ON. WE ALSO DETECTED A LOUD AIR NOISE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE NOSE GEAR DOORS IN THE OPEN POS. AFTER WAITING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME LONGER THAN NORMAL GEAR RETRACTION CYCLE; WE COORD WITH ATC AND LEVELED OFF AT 4000 FT MSL AND 190 KIAS WITH FLAPS AT 11 DEGS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCS; THE GEAR LEVER WAS PLACED TO THE DOWN POS; AND THE LNDG GEAR EXTENDED NORMALLY. UPON COMPLETION OF THE QRH PROCS; THE ACFT STATUS WAS ALL LNDG GEAR INDICATING IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED CONFIGN WITH NO ABNORMAL AIR NOISE DETECTED. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE QRH CAUTION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE TO THE LNDG GEAR DURING THE PREVIOUS RETRACTION CYCLE; WE ELECTED TO LEAVE THE GEAR IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED POS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT. GIVEN THE PROX OF A LARGE WINTER STORM APCHING THE ZZZ AREA FROM THE SSW AND THE EXISTENCE OF MORE THAN ADEQUATE FACILITIES AT ZZZ; WE DECIDED TO RETURN TO ZZZ. ALL NORMAL CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED. WE NOTIFIED FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX OF THE SITUATION. WE NOTIFIED FLT CTL VIA ACARS. AFTER DECLARING THE EMER AND COORD WITH ATC; WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT ZZZ ON THE LONGEST RWY AVAILABLE WITH ARPT RESCUE CREWS IN POS AS A PRECAUTION. ZZZ TWR PERSONNEL PERFORMED A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE NOSE GEAR WHILE ON FINAL APCH AND RPTED THAT IT APPEARED NORMAL. AFTER LNDG GEAR OP APPEARED NORMAL. SECURED FROM THE EMER AND TAXIED TO PARKING AT THE GATE. THE POSTFLT VISUAL INSPECTION OF NOSE GEAR APPEARED NORMAL. WE NOTED STRUT EXTENSION OF APPROX 3-4 INCHES WITH NO LEAK NOTED. AFTER COORDINATING WITH MAINT CTL; THE FLT WAS CANCELED. AREA WX CONDITIONS PREVENTED EXTENDED GEAR DOWN FLT DUE TO INABILITY TO AVOID ICING CONDITIONS. LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS MADE. MAINT WAS PERFORMED LATER THAT DAY.

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.