Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Procedure
After takeoff left main gear indicated red after gear handle placed up. Kept speed under 230 KTS and followed QRH Landing 5 procedure. Red light stayed on. [We] declared an emergency with departure. Called Dispatch on comm 2. After putting gear handle down all gear indicated green. Briefed flight attendants and made PA to passengers. Landing uneventful; had ARFF check around left gear area said all looked normal. [I] taxied back to gate with ARFF in tow. Landing was not an overweight landing.
On climbout; first leg of a three day; after the gear handle was selected up; we noticed the left gear indicator light remained red while the other two gear lights were out as is normal. The gear door open light was out. We performed the QRH procedure which did not solve the problem; i.e. after cycling the gear; as the procedure calls for; the left gear light remained red. We declared an emergency. The Captain elected to return. Upon lowering the gear we had three green lights. We landed well under maximum weight and uneventfully.I don't know what might have caused the problem; but it seems unwise to me that the procedure calls for cycling the gear in order to obtain a safe up indication after having put it down and gotten a good down and locked indication. Prudence would suggest that with a gear indication problem once a safe down and locked indication is received the gear handle should not be moved again. Simply return with a safe indication and land. The Captain and I discussed exactly that but decided to follow the procedure exactly as published even if unwise.
MD82 flight crew experiences an unsafe gear up indication on departure and cycles the gear in accordance with QRH procedures which is unsuccessful. Gear extends normally and flight returns to departure airport. The First Officer questions the wisdom of cycling the gear down then up after a safe down indication is received.