Narrative:

As we were climbing to our assigned altitude we received a 'gear disagreement' warning EICAS message. The 2 main landing gear had retracted but the nose gear was stuck in transit. We could still hear the very distinct wind noise coming from below us verifying that the gear was indeed not in the up position. The aircraft had 1 hydraulic pump deferred and the MEL book stated that this condition could be encountered. Initially; I believed that the gear unsafe condition was associated with the MEL and the nose gear would eventually retract. After climbing through approximately 4000 ft it became apparent that the nose gear would not retract. I instructed first officer (PF) that she had the controls and the radios and not to exceed the 200 KT limitation for gear in transit. I took out the QRH and turned to 'gear disagreement-gear selected up.' I skimmed over the QRH procedure to quickly determine which direction the QRH would lead me. To paraphrase the procedure; it would have me lower the gear manually and return to the nearest suitable field. At this point I informed first officer that we would be returning to ZZZ. We informed ATC but were told to continue on that heading and climb to 12000 ft for traffic. I decided not to declare an emergency at this point. I would make that determination if the gear was still in an unsafe condition after the QRH procedure had been accomplished. The fuel load we had would have allowed us to circle until crash fire rescue equipment assets were in place if they were deemed necessary. Soon after we leveled off at 12000 ft; we were given vectors back to ZZZ. I began to accomplish the QRH procedure. The gear was lowered using the manual extension and then we received 3 down and locked indications. I completed the QRH and notified flight attendant of our intention to return to ZZZ. First officer landed the aircraft on runway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ RETURNS TO DEP ARPT WHEN NOSE GEAR FAILS TO RETRACT AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: AS WE WERE CLBING TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT WE RECEIVED A 'GEAR DISAGREEMENT' WARNING EICAS MESSAGE. THE 2 MAIN LNDG GEAR HAD RETRACTED BUT THE NOSE GEAR WAS STUCK IN TRANSIT. WE COULD STILL HEAR THE VERY DISTINCT WIND NOISE COMING FROM BELOW US VERIFYING THAT THE GEAR WAS INDEED NOT IN THE UP POS. THE ACFT HAD 1 HYD PUMP DEFERRED AND THE MEL BOOK STATED THAT THIS CONDITION COULD BE ENCOUNTERED. INITIALLY; I BELIEVED THAT THE GEAR UNSAFE CONDITION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MEL AND THE NOSE GEAR WOULD EVENTUALLY RETRACT. AFTER CLBING THROUGH APPROX 4000 FT IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. I INSTRUCTED FO (PF) THAT SHE HAD THE CTLS AND THE RADIOS AND NOT TO EXCEED THE 200 KT LIMITATION FOR GEAR IN TRANSIT. I TOOK OUT THE QRH AND TURNED TO 'GEAR DISAGREEMENT-GEAR SELECTED UP.' I SKIMMED OVER THE QRH PROC TO QUICKLY DETERMINE WHICH DIRECTION THE QRH WOULD LEAD ME. TO PARAPHRASE THE PROC; IT WOULD HAVE ME LOWER THE GEAR MANUALLY AND RETURN TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE FIELD. AT THIS POINT I INFORMED FO THAT WE WOULD BE RETURNING TO ZZZ. WE INFORMED ATC BUT WERE TOLD TO CONTINUE ON THAT HDG AND CLB TO 12000 FT FOR TFC. I DECIDED NOT TO DECLARE AN EMER AT THIS POINT. I WOULD MAKE THAT DETERMINATION IF THE GEAR WAS STILL IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION AFTER THE QRH PROC HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THE FUEL LOAD WE HAD WOULD HAVE ALLOWED US TO CIRCLE UNTIL CFR ASSETS WERE IN PLACE IF THEY WERE DEEMED NECESSARY. SOON AFTER WE LEVELED OFF AT 12000 FT; WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS BACK TO ZZZ. I BEGAN TO ACCOMPLISH THE QRH PROC. THE GEAR WAS LOWERED USING THE MANUAL EXTENSION AND THEN WE RECEIVED 3 DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATIONS. I COMPLETED THE QRH AND NOTIFIED FLT ATTENDANT OF OUR INTENTION TO RETURN TO ZZZ. FO LANDED THE ACFT ON RWY.

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.