MD-82
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface; Confusion; Time Pressure; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors; Aircraft
After taking off we retracted the landing gear and noticed the 'Gear Door Open' light was still on. After consulting the QRH; we continued the flight to our destination at the required reduced airspeed of .70 Mach or 300 KIAS. Approaching destination; Center asked us to maintain a speed of .76 Mach. After telling Center that we were unable; we realized that we had failed to notify Center of our [QRH required] reduced airspeed. During approach; we were anticipating the gear door light to extinguish upon gear extension. However; when we put the gear down the door light remained on. We declared an emergency and did a missed approach. While holding we talked with Dispatch; Ramp and Maintenance and briefed the flight attendants and passengers. After reducing fuel and accomplishing checklists; we requested the runway which maximized the headwind component and gust factors (220@18G26).On base leg; we were told to follow a B747 for a visual approach. After contemplating the ramifications of this request; I told Approach Control we were heading directly to the runway. Due to the vectoring; our fuel was at its optimum amount. However; when asked to follow the B747; our fuel would have been much lower; wake turbulence was a definite factor and the most prudent decision was to head directly to the runway thus making the B747 land on a different runway. Upon landing; the gear doors were hanging down (procedure calls for this) and dragging on the runway. ARFF equipment was on the scene and verified all was okay. Company Maintenance arrived secured the doors and we taxied to the gate.
When their landing gear doors failed to retract after takeoff the flight crew of an MD82 elected to continue to ORD at reduced mach per their QRH procedure. When the doors failed to close as they had expected after gear extension for landing they performed a missed approach; declared an emergency and landed with the doors open and dragging on the runway.