B737-400 diverts due to red nose gear unsafe light after gear retraction. Landing normal.

Attributes
ACN	802585
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	802585
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : nosegear unsafe light
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff upon gear retraction during after takeoff checklist; noticed red nose gear light illuminated. I believed nose gear in up position; no noise or vibration. We observed QRH procedures and speed limitations. Then contacted dispatcher via ACARS to see if maintenance could help diagnose and if company wanted us to continue. We were tankering fuel so it would not have been a problem. The dispatcher via ACARS told us maintenance wanted us to go to ZZZ. We advised flight attendants and passenger we were diverting to ZZZ for a precautionary landing with an approximately time of 20 mins for an ETA. Also during vectors to ZZZ we received a message from dispatch via ACARS they wanted us to return to ZZZ1 so customer service could better handle passenger's rertes. Exercised captain authority/authorized and continued to ZZZ because we had already completed briefings and abnormal procedures. During arrival into ZZZ with gear extended and 3 green gear lights; on approach for runway 10R both the green and red nose gear lights extinguished and both bulbs tested good. Because already on approach for landing; we decided to do a fly-by by the tower to have a visual on gear position. Tower verified gear in down position. During vectors for another approach we re-did QRH matrix and verified through viewing port; with some difficulty; nose gear was down and did a normal landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-400 DIVERTS DUE TO RED NOSE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT AFTER GEAR RETRACTION. LANDING NORMAL.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF UPON GEAR RETRACTION DURING AFTER TKOF CHKLIST; NOTICED RED NOSE GEAR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I BELIEVED NOSE GEAR IN UP POS; NO NOISE OR VIBRATION. WE OBSERVED QRH PROCS AND SPD LIMITATIONS. THEN CONTACTED DISPATCHER VIA ACARS TO SEE IF MAINT COULD HELP DIAGNOSE AND IF COMPANY WANTED US TO CONTINUE. WE WERE TANKERING FUEL SO IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PROB. THE DISPATCHER VIA ACARS TOLD US MAINT WANTED US TO GO TO ZZZ. WE ADVISED FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX WE WERE DIVERTING TO ZZZ FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG WITH AN APPROX TIME OF 20 MINS FOR AN ETA. ALSO DURING VECTORS TO ZZZ WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM DISPATCH VIA ACARS THEY WANTED US TO RETURN TO ZZZ1 SO CUSTOMER SVC COULD BETTER HANDLE PAX'S RERTES. EXERCISED CAPT AUTH AND CONTINUED TO ZZZ BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY COMPLETED BRIEFINGS AND ABNORMAL PROCS. DURING ARR INTO ZZZ WITH GEAR EXTENDED AND 3 GREEN GEAR LIGHTS; ON APCH FOR RWY 10R BOTH THE GREEN AND RED NOSE GEAR LIGHTS EXTINGUISHED AND BOTH BULBS TESTED GOOD. BECAUSE ALREADY ON APCH FOR LNDG; WE DECIDED TO DO A FLY-BY BY THE TWR TO HAVE A VISUAL ON GEAR POS. TWR VERIFIED GEAR IN DOWN POS. DURING VECTORS FOR ANOTHER APCH WE RE-DID QRH MATRIX AND VERIFIED THROUGH VIEWING PORT; WITH SOME DIFFICULTY; NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN AND DID A NORMAL LNDG.

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.