An emb-135 flight crew noticed the sound of nose gear doors opening after takeoff without any abnorm...

Attributes
ACN	814716
Time
Date	200812
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 135 ER&LR
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	814716
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During climb out on a right downwind departure off runway at ZZZ; passing 7500 ft MSL; the sound of the nose gear doors opening was witnessed by both pilots and the flight attendant; sitting in his cabin jumpseat. There was no other indication; nor EICAS message; master caution; master warning; nor any communication of abnormal or failed condition. Hydraulic and other system pages were normal and hydraulic was monitored. ATC was notified of our intention to return to ZZZ due to abnormal condition; pending completion of checklists and consultation with air carrier staff. Emergency was declared; operations and maintenance were consulted. Flight attendant and passenger were briefed; full brief for possible abnormal landing. ZZZ operations and maintenance were consulted and briefed. Subsequent to exhaustion of CRM capacities and consultation of manuals; a gear down flyby of the control tower was performed. Tower reported and the crew experienced normal conditions for landing confign. Passenger and flight attendant re-briefed and a normal flaps 45 degree landing was completed to a full stop on runway. Following crash fire rescue equipment and maintenance inspection; gear was pinned and aircraft was taxied to gate. Failure of nose gear door control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMB-135 FLIGHT CREW NOTICED THE SOUND OF NOSE GEAR DOORS OPENING AFTER TAKEOFF WITHOUT ANY ABNORMAL INDICATIONS. THEY COORDINATED WITH OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE; DECLARED AN EMERGENCY; AND RETURNED TO LAND.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT ON A R DOWNWIND DEP OFF RWY AT ZZZ; PASSING 7500 FT MSL; THE SOUND OF THE NOSE GEAR DOORS OPENING WAS WITNESSED BY BOTH PLTS AND THE FLT ATTENDANT; SITTING IN HIS CABIN JUMPSEAT. THERE WAS NO OTHER INDICATION; NOR EICAS MESSAGE; MASTER CAUTION; MASTER WARNING; NOR ANY COM OF ABNORMAL OR FAILED CONDITION. HYD AND OTHER SYS PAGES WERE NORMAL AND HYD WAS MONITORED. ATC WAS NOTIFIED OF OUR INTENTION TO RETURN TO ZZZ DUE TO ABNORMAL CONDITION; PENDING COMPLETION OF CHKLISTS AND CONSULTATION WITH ACR STAFF. EMER WAS DECLARED; OPS AND MAINT WERE CONSULTED. FLT ATTENDANT AND PAX WERE BRIEFED; FULL BRIEF FOR POSSIBLE ABNORMAL LNDG. ZZZ OPS AND MAINT WERE CONSULTED AND BRIEFED. SUBSEQUENT TO EXHAUSTION OF CRM CAPACITIES AND CONSULTATION OF MANUALS; A GEAR DOWN FLYBY OF THE CTL TWR WAS PERFORMED. TWR RPTED AND THE CREW EXPERIENCED NORMAL CONDITIONS FOR LNDG CONFIGN. PAX AND FLT ATTENDANT RE-BRIEFED AND A NORMAL FLAPS 45 DEG LNDG WAS COMPLETED TO A FULL STOP ON RWY. FOLLOWING CFR AND MAINT INSPECTION; GEAR WAS PINNED AND ACFT WAS TAXIED TO GATE. FAILURE OF NOSE GEAR DOOR CTL.

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.

An emb-135 flight crew noticed the sound of nose gear doors opening after takeoff without any abnormal indications. They coordinated with operations and maintenance; declared an emergency; and returned to land.