Narrative:

At approximately 7000-8000 ft; the master caution light illuminated with chime and ECAM displayed 'hydraulic G reservoir low level' appeared. The captain ran the checklist and the first officer flew and operated the radios; autoplt #2 was engaged. After conferring with dispatch the decision was made to return to runway xx for an overweight landing. Crash fire rescue equipment was rolled as a precaution. It appeared that one of the ATC controllers declared an emergency. The checklists were all completed; system status was reviewed; and approach was briefed to include runway rollout and exit plan. A visual approach was commenced to runway xx. Approach/landing ECAM procedures were completed. During the accomplishment of these steps (210 KTS; flaps 1 degree) an unidented bang was heard and the aircraft shuddered; but no further system degradation was indicated. Landing gear was manually extended; flaps were configured to full. Autoplt was disengaged; flight controls were sluggish; as expected for the system loss. Performance page visual approach calculation indicated 147 KTS. Landing weight approximately 150K pounds. Uneventful landing with minimal sink rate (well below 360 FPM as per the overweight landing checklist). Only the #2 reverser was utilized. Aircraft was cleared of the runway to taxiway and was shut down and towed to the gate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW REPORTS HYDRAULIC SYSTEM GREEN LOW LEVEL DURING CLIMB OUT. FLT CREW RETURNS TO DEPARTURE ARPT FOR OVER WEIGHT LANDING WITH SYSTEM FAILURE PRIOR TO APPROACH.

Narrative: AT APPROX 7000-8000 FT; THE MASTER CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH CHIME AND ECAM DISPLAYED 'HYD G RESERVOIR LOW LEVEL' APPEARED. THE CAPT RAN THE CHKLIST AND THE FO FLEW AND OPERATED THE RADIOS; AUTOPLT #2 WAS ENGAGED. AFTER CONFERRING WITH DISPATCH THE DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO RWY XX FOR AN OVERWT LNDG. CFR WAS ROLLED AS A PRECAUTION. IT APPEARED THAT ONE OF THE ATC CTLRS DECLARED AN EMER. THE CHKLISTS WERE ALL COMPLETED; SYS STATUS WAS REVIEWED; AND APCH WAS BRIEFED TO INCLUDE RWY ROLLOUT AND EXIT PLAN. A VISUAL APCH WAS COMMENCED TO RWY XX. APCH/LNDG ECAM PROCS WERE COMPLETED. DURING THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THESE STEPS (210 KTS; FLAPS 1 DEG) AN UNIDENTED BANG WAS HEARD AND THE ACFT SHUDDERED; BUT NO FURTHER SYS DEGRADATION WAS INDICATED. LNDG GEAR WAS MANUALLY EXTENDED; FLAPS WERE CONFIGURED TO FULL. AUTOPLT WAS DISENGAGED; FLT CTLS WERE SLUGGISH; AS EXPECTED FOR THE SYS LOSS. PERFORMANCE PAGE VISUAL APCH CALCULATION INDICATED 147 KTS. LNDG WT APPROX 150K LBS. UNEVENTFUL LNDG WITH MINIMAL SINK RATE (WELL BELOW 360 FPM AS PER THE OVERWT LNDG CHKLIST). ONLY THE #2 REVERSER WAS UTILIZED. ACFT WAS CLRED OF THE RWY TO TXWY AND WAS SHUT DOWN AND TOWED TO THE GATE.

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.