Narrative:

Upon landing gear extension on approach; we received an ECAM caution for nosewheel steering. We executed a go around to evaluate the situation and completed the QRH follow-up for the nosewheel steering malfunction. I elected to have emergency equipment standing by for landing so we declared an emergency with approach. I informed the flight attendants of the situation and to prepare for a precautionary landing as I was not anticipating the need for an evacuate/evacuation. I also notified the passenger of the situation and assured them everything would be fine and after landing we would likely be stopping to be towed to the gate due the steering malfunction. Since the nosewheel steering fault was not accompanied by the shock absorber fault; the first officer and I felt confident the nosewheel was centered and just the steering was faulted. Dispatch was ACARS'd of the situation and the station was notified via radio. As our fuel was at 5000 pounds; we felt that with all procedures complied with; a complete discussion with dispatch and maintenance was not necessary or possible. The landing was made smoothly and I was able to taxi clear of the runway using differential braking. I elected to have the aircraft towed in to the gate due to the close proximity of other aircraft in the gate area. I greeted the passenger on deplaning and all appeared in good spirits and many thanked us for a safe journey.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CAPT EXPERIENCED AN ECAM MESSAGE FOR NOSEWHEEL STEERING AFTER GEAR EXTENSION ON APPROACH. FLT CREW DECLARED EMERGENCY AND CONTINUED TO A SAFE LANDING.

Narrative: UPON LNDG GEAR EXTENSION ON APCH; WE RECEIVED AN ECAM CAUTION FOR NOSEWHEEL STEERING. WE EXECUTED A GAR TO EVALUATE THE SITUATION AND COMPLETED THE QRH FOLLOW-UP FOR THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING MALFUNCTION. I ELECTED TO HAVE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY FOR LNDG SO WE DECLARED AN EMER WITH APCH. I INFORMED THE FLT ATTENDANTS OF THE SITUATION AND TO PREPARE FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AS I WAS NOT ANTICIPATING THE NEED FOR AN EVAC. I ALSO NOTIFIED THE PAX OF THE SITUATION AND ASSURED THEM EVERYTHING WOULD BE FINE AND AFTER LNDG WE WOULD LIKELY BE STOPPING TO BE TOWED TO THE GATE DUE THE STEERING MALFUNCTION. SINCE THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING FAULT WAS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY THE SHOCK ABSORBER FAULT; THE FO AND I FELT CONFIDENT THE NOSEWHEEL WAS CTRED AND JUST THE STEERING WAS FAULTED. DISPATCH WAS ACARS'D OF THE SITUATION AND THE STATION WAS NOTIFIED VIA RADIO. AS OUR FUEL WAS AT 5000 LBS; WE FELT THAT WITH ALL PROCS COMPLIED WITH; A COMPLETE DISCUSSION WITH DISPATCH AND MAINT WAS NOT NECESSARY OR POSSIBLE. THE LNDG WAS MADE SMOOTHLY AND I WAS ABLE TO TAXI CLR OF THE RWY USING DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING. I ELECTED TO HAVE THE ACFT TOWED IN TO THE GATE DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF OTHER ACFT IN THE GATE AREA. I GREETED THE PAX ON DEPLANING AND ALL APPEARED IN GOOD SPIRITS AND MANY THANKED US FOR A SAFE JOURNEY.

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.