A319
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Human Factors
Upon gear retraction; Green Hydraulic System failed. Left main gear stayed down and locked while right main and nose gear retracted normally. Green hydraulic fluid had leaked out and quantity was zero. Aircraft was cleaned up (flaps up) autopilot on and leveled above the minimum safe altitude. ECAM procedures were followed with loss of Green quantity; gear unable to retract and loss of Green pressure. Gear recycled to no effect; so gear emergency extended; with successful down and locked on all three gears. Consulted Dispatch and decided to divert to an airport with maintenance. Emergency declared followed by precautionary landing and after clearing runway; aircraft was towed to the gate. The night before upon landing; we got ECAM 'Eng 1 Reverser Low Press'. We noticed the Green Hydraulic quantity was low; but above the minimum. Steering and brakes were normal. We both looked at hydraulic quantity on our preflight checks; and neither noticed the quantity low. I checked at least once during flight and quantity was normal. Contract Maintenance was contacted by Maintenance Control to service the Green Hydraulic System. Upon arrival at [our diversion airport]; maintenance immediately found a loose hydraulic line in the left gear; where the Green System quantity seems to have leaked out. The departure airport was experiencing heavy rain and neither the First Officer; or the Contract Maintenance could detect any hydraulic fluid leaking.
A319 Captain experiences the loss of the Green Hydraulic System as the gear is retracted after takeoff. The left main gear remains extended after the right main and nose gear retract. ECAM procedures are complied with for loss of the Green Hydraulic System and the gear handle is cycled to no avail. The gear is gravity extended and the flight diverts to a suitable airport.