DIVERT TO DAL ACCOUNT SUSPECT NOSE TIRE FAILURE OR NOSE GEAR DOOR PROB.

Narrative

WHEN THE LNDG GEAR LEVER WAS MOVED TO THE UP POS; AN UNUSUAL 'BANG' WAS HEARD; LNDG GEAR LIGHTS GAVE NORMAL INDICATIONS. THERE WAS PERSISTENT AIR NOISE AND VIBRATION; BOTH OF WHICH SEEMED TO COME FROM THE NOSE GEAR AREA; AND BOTH OF WHICH INCREASED WITH INCREASING AIRSPD. AT THIS POINT I SUSPECTED A TIRE FAILURE AND/OR A NOSE GEAR DOOR FAILURE. AIRSPD WAS LIMITED TO 250 KTS AND ALT TO FL200. HOU OPS WAS CALLED WITH 'OUT AND OFF' TIMES AND A REQUEST FOR THE CITY TO INSPECT THE RWY FOR POSSIBLE TIRE OR ACFT PARTS. (THE RPT WAS NEGATIVE FOR ACFT PARTS BUT A DEAD ANIMAL WAS FOUND.) DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED AND A DIVERT TO DAL WAS DIRECTED. THE LNDG GEAR VIEW PORT WAS USED AND IT SEEMED THAT EXCESSIVE DAYLIGHT WAS VISIBLE; CONFIRMING SOME TYPE OF POSSIBLE GEAR DOOR PROB. THE SELECTION OF DAL WAS ALSO APPROPRIATE VERSUS A RETURN TO HOU IN THAT ACFT WT AT DEP WAS 108000 LBS. ENRTE TO DAL THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND THE PAX WERE BRIEFED AS TO THE NATURE OF THE PROB AND OUR PLANNED ACTIONS. THE FLT ATTENDANTS PREPARED THE CABIN FOR A POSSIBLE EVAC. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH 'REGIONAL APCH' WITH CRASH TRUCKS AVAILABLE FOR OUR LNDG. AN APCH TO A MISSED APCH WAS COORDINATED IN ORDER TO HAVE THE GEAR INSPECTED FROM THE GND. THAT INSPECTION RPTED NOTHING ABNORMAL. I ELECTED TO CONDUCT A FULL STOP LNDG REASONABLY SINCE THAT THE PROB WAS GEAR DOOR RELATED; LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH NO UNUSUAL HANDLING PROBS. ACFT PROCEEDED NORMALLY TO THE GATE; POST-FLT INSPECTION DISCOVERED A BROKEN CONNECTING ARM ON THE L NOSE GEAR DOOR WHICH HAD PREVENTED ITS NORMAL OP. COMMENTS: THE WX OVER TEXAS WAS UNIFORM WITH 500-1500 FT CEILING WITH 2-4 MI VISIBILITY. I ELECTED NOT TO RECYCLE THE LNDG GEAR AFTER TKOF IN THAT WITH THE GIVEN WX; I DID NOT WANT TO POSSIBLY GENERATE A SIT WHERE I COULD NOT RETRACT THE GEAR. THIS WAS ALSO A MARVELOUS EXERCISE IN COCKPIT RESOURCE MGMNT. WHETHER BY TRAINING OR PERSONALITY; ALL CREW MEMBERS WERE EXTREMELY PROFESSIONAL AND HELPFUL. FO'S AIRMANSHIP WAS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY. THE WORK DONE BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS WAS OUTSTANDING. THE PAX DEPARTED THE ACFT WITH SMILES AND PRAISE FOR THEIR EFFORTS. DISPATCH WAS QUICK TO RESPOND TO THE SIT PROVIDING ANY HELP REQUESTED. ALL IN ALL; I FOUND IT TO BE A TYPICAL EXPERIENCE WITH EVERYONE I DEALT WITH PERFORMING THEIR JOBS IN AN EXCELLENT MANNER!