Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Aircraft
Shortly after takeoff and retracting the gear we noticed an IAS and ALT flag on both PFDs. My FO (First Officer) was the PF (Pilot Flying) and I was the PM (Pilot Monitoring). When I realized both PFDs had flags I tried to determine which PFD was correct by referencing the stand by instruments. During this time I made the decision to have my FO maintain a level altitude and constant power setting as neither PFD was indicating correct information. I told ATC that we were having equipment issues and needed vectors back to the airport. I told my FO to do the best he could to maintain what airspeed we currently had and the same altitude. We maneuvered the aircraft back into a position to land on the longest available runway. I made the decision to make a flaps 20 landing as I had no reliable airspeed indication except my GS readout which was consistent with each query of our speed from ATC. We were able to navigate to the LOC and use the LOC and GS to guide us to the ground. I made an overweight landing at an indicated ground speed of 160 knots at descent rate of less than 100 fpm at touch down. I used full reverse and brakes to slow to a taxi speed but never braked so hard as to engage the anti-skid system. From there we taxied to the gate and deplaned the aircraft. I do not know the cause of this failure. All indications prior to takeoff and indeed from the leg before were that the aircraft was operating normally.
CRJ-200 Captain reported losing airspeed indication shortly after takeoff and returned to departure airport.