Flight crew of DH8 fail to note alternate landing gear release door open during preflight. Gear fail...

Attributes
ACN	785339
Time
Date	200805
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Q400 (Formerly Dash 8-400)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	785339
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We did all the normal preflight inspections; flows and checklists then boarded the flight as usual. We were about 20 mins late on the pushback. On takeoff; the gear would not retract. When contacting departure control; we told him we wanted to return to ZZZ and that our gear would not retract. We also said we wanted delay vectors so we could contact our maintenance. Departure then asked if we were going to be needing any assistance. I said no; the gear is down and locked and we have a 3 green indication on the gear. I stated it would be a normal landing. Departure then said he was going to 'roll the trucks anyway.' we called ZZZ operations and asked them to tell maintenance to SELCAL us. While waiting for them to call back; we were looking up our landing numbers and making sure we were not going to be overweight for landing. Before maintenance got back to us; we were discussing doing an alternate gear extension procedure when I looked up and realized that the alternate landing gear release door was open. After closing the door the gear worked normally and we continued without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF DH8 FAIL TO NOTE ALTERNATE LANDING GEAR RELEASE DOOR OPEN DURING PREFLT. GEAR FAILS TO RETRACT AFTER TKOF. FUNCTIONS NORMALLY AFTER CLOSING THE DOOR.

Narrative: WE DID ALL THE NORMAL PREFLT INSPECTIONS; FLOWS AND CHKLISTS THEN BOARDED THE FLT AS USUAL. WE WERE ABOUT 20 MINS LATE ON THE PUSHBACK. ON TKOF; THE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. WHEN CONTACTING DEP CTL; WE TOLD HIM WE WANTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ AND THAT OUR GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. WE ALSO SAID WE WANTED DELAY VECTORS SO WE COULD CONTACT OUR MAINT. DEP THEN ASKED IF WE WERE GOING TO BE NEEDING ANY ASSISTANCE. I SAID NO; THE GEAR IS DOWN AND LOCKED AND WE HAVE A 3 GREEN INDICATION ON THE GEAR. I STATED IT WOULD BE A NORMAL LNDG. DEP THEN SAID HE WAS GOING TO 'ROLL THE TRUCKS ANYWAY.' WE CALLED ZZZ OPS AND ASKED THEM TO TELL MAINT TO SELCAL US. WHILE WAITING FOR THEM TO CALL BACK; WE WERE LOOKING UP OUR LNDG NUMBERS AND MAKING SURE WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE OVERWT FOR LNDG. BEFORE MAINT GOT BACK TO US; WE WERE DISCUSSING DOING AN ALTERNATE GEAR EXTENSION PROC WHEN I LOOKED UP AND REALIZED THAT THE ALTERNATE LNDG GEAR RELEASE DOOR WAS OPEN. AFTER CLOSING THE DOOR THE GEAR WORKED NORMALLY AND WE CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Flight crew of DH8 fail to note alternate landing gear release door open during preflight. Gear fails to retract after takeoff. Functions normally after closing the door.