Narrative:

We were cleared for visual at 3000 ft. I was flying and asked the first officer to give me direct to the marker. I was slowing from 210 KTS to 180 KTS and just outside the FAF asked for gear down; final check. I intercepted the GS and started down. We then got an ECAM indicating nosewheel steering fault. We were cleared to land shortly after; and I said 'I am going around but would not raise the gear.' we were vectored around at 3000 ft. We went to the flight manual and determined that we would have no nosewheel steering upon landing. I asked first officer to declare an emergency and we issued the flight attendants a cabin advisory. The emergency equipment was out in what seemed like 2 mins. I came back around and shot the same visual approach. The touchdown was soft and I held the nose off as long as possible in addition to delaying the reversers since we had 10300 ft of runway. I turned off using differential braking and stopped after clearing the runway. We decided to have the aircraft towed in because of numerous turns on the txwys. My first officer did a great job with finding the flight manual procedure quickly and communication of all parties. We did not have a whole lot of time because of fuel constraints even after I added 900 pounds. We arrived with 3500 pounds which is 45 mins 'far rsv.' the passenger were not alarmed and clapped upon landing. I was not unhappy with any part of the emergency and think it went quite well. I wish I could have talked to the people more but there just wasn't much time and it probably would have alarmed them anyway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLIGHT CREW; UPON SELECTING THE GEAR DOWN; RECEIVES A 'NOSE WHEEL STEERING FAULT' ECAM. A GO-AROUND IS EXECUTED; AN EMERGENCY DECLARED; THE PROCEDURES ARE COMPLETED; FOLLOWED BY A CABIN ADVISORY AND AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL AT 3000 FT. I WAS FLYING AND ASKED THE FO TO GIVE ME DIRECT TO THE MARKER. I WAS SLOWING FROM 210 KTS TO 180 KTS AND JUST OUTSIDE THE FAF ASKED FOR GEAR DOWN; FINAL CHK. I INTERCEPTED THE GS AND STARTED DOWN. WE THEN GOT AN ECAM INDICATING NOSEWHEEL STEERING FAULT. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND SHORTLY AFTER; AND I SAID 'I AM GOING AROUND BUT WOULD NOT RAISE THE GEAR.' WE WERE VECTORED AROUND AT 3000 FT. WE WENT TO THE FLT MANUAL AND DETERMINED THAT WE WOULD HAVE NO NOSEWHEEL STEERING UPON LNDG. I ASKED FO TO DECLARE AN EMER AND WE ISSUED THE FLT ATTENDANTS A CABIN ADVISORY. THE EMER EQUIP WAS OUT IN WHAT SEEMED LIKE 2 MINS. I CAME BACK AROUND AND SHOT THE SAME VISUAL APCH. THE TOUCHDOWN WAS SOFT AND I HELD THE NOSE OFF AS LONG AS POSSIBLE IN ADDITION TO DELAYING THE REVERSERS SINCE WE HAD 10300 FT OF RWY. I TURNED OFF USING DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING AND STOPPED AFTER CLEARING THE RWY. WE DECIDED TO HAVE THE ACFT TOWED IN BECAUSE OF NUMEROUS TURNS ON THE TXWYS. MY FO DID A GREAT JOB WITH FINDING THE FLT MANUAL PROC QUICKLY AND COM OF ALL PARTIES. WE DID NOT HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME BECAUSE OF FUEL CONSTRAINTS EVEN AFTER I ADDED 900 LBS. WE ARRIVED WITH 3500 LBS WHICH IS 45 MINS 'FAR RSV.' THE PAX WERE NOT ALARMED AND CLAPPED UPON LNDG. I WAS NOT UNHAPPY WITH ANY PART OF THE EMER AND THINK IT WENT QUITE WELL. I WISH I COULD HAVE TALKED TO THE PEOPLE MORE BUT THERE JUST WASN'T MUCH TIME AND IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE ALARMED THEM ANYWAY.

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.