A CL65's landing gear indication cycled between 'up' and 'unsafe' after takeoff. The crew declared a...

Narrative:

Took off in cavu weather. Main gear indicated 'unsafe up.' then started cycling 'up' to 'unsafe up' continuously. We felt some pronounced unusual drag on the airplane and it continued throughout the event. Pulled emergency gear handle in accordance with the checklist and got three green. Attempted to stow handle and I could not move the handle or the button at all. Maintenance came to ready the aircraft for ferry and when he pulled up on the handle it broke off in his hand. I am concerned by the fact that I couldn't get the handle stowed; we were close to the airport but hydraulic temperature would have been a problem if we weren't. And when did a crack develop in that handle. Are the handles ever inspected or replaced? It might have been a bad thing if it had come off in my hand. Put those handles on the inspection cycle! And why couldn't I stow it? Apparently there was unusual pressure on the button because the maintenance guy had a problem too.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65's landing gear indication cycled between 'up' and 'unsafe' after takeoff. The crew declared an emergency; returned to the departure airport and as maintenance prepared the aircraft for a ferry flight; the Emergency Gear handle fractured.

Narrative: Took off in CAVU weather. Main gear indicated 'unsafe up.' Then started cycling 'up' to 'unsafe up' continuously. We felt some pronounced unusual drag on the airplane and it continued throughout the event. Pulled Emergency Gear handle in accordance with the checklist and got three green. Attempted to stow handle and I could not move the handle or the button at all. Maintenance came to ready the aircraft for ferry and when he pulled up on the handle it broke off in his hand. I am concerned by the fact that I couldn't get the handle stowed; we were close to the airport but hydraulic temperature would have been a problem if we weren't. And when did a crack develop in that handle. Are the handles ever inspected or replaced? It might have been a bad thing if it had come off in my hand. Put those handles on the inspection cycle! And why couldn't I stow it? Apparently there was unusual pressure on the button because the maintenance guy had a problem too.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	959692
Time
Date	201107
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.ARTCC
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Parked Takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Gear Lever/Selector
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 136
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

A CL65's landing gear indication cycled between 'up' and 'unsafe' after takeoff. The crew declared an emergency; returned to the departure airport and as maintenance prepared the aircraft for a ferry flight; the emergency gear handle fractured.