Learjet 36
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 240; Flight Crew Total 34000; Flight Crew Type 2400
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
Upon landing gear retraction after takeoff nose gear unsafe light remained illuminated. IFR flight plan was canceled and a flyby of the Tower found both nose gear doors had remained open. The landing gear was selected to the down position and another flyby of the Tower was conducted. The Tower reported the landing gear appeared down however nose gear wheel and tire assembly was not in centered position (not parallel to centerline of aircraft) airborne communication with Maintenance and Lear Jet technical support requested two more landing gear cycles with subsequent Tower flybys; landing gear status remained unchanged from initial Tower report. An emergency was declared; when legal landing weight was achieved; aircraft was landed. Landing was uneventful other than a minor vibration under 60 KIAS. Aircraft was shutdown on runway about one foot south of centerline. The nose wheel tire was found to be approximately 80 degrees to aircraft centerline. Aircraft was towed to hangar where post flight inspection found no visible damage (other that flat spot on tire). There were no injuries in this event.
[Narrative contained no additional information.]
A LJ36 flight crew failed to receive positive gear retracted indications after takeoff. After multiple recycling and Tower flybys they elected to remain in the area to burn fuel to max landing weight and land. The landing was completed but the nose gear was cocked some 80 degrees from straight ahead. The aircraft was towed to the ramp.