ABNORMAL INDICATIONS DURING GEAR RETRACTION PROMPT THE FLT TO DECLARE AN EMER. MD88.

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UPON DEP FROM COS; THE L MAIN GEAR FAILED TO RETRACT AND THE GEAR DOOR LIGHT REMAINED ON. OUR PROCS ARE SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED; BUT THEY CALL FOR A GEAR EXTENSION AND IF ALL IS NORMAL AND; WITH NO HISTORY OF PREVIOUS TROUBLE OR REASON TO SUSPECT DAMAGE; A GEAR RETRACTION. THIS WAS COMPLETED AND; IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHKLIST WE PRESSED ON THE DFW. OUR HUMAN FACTORS CLASSES TEACH US TO IDENT THE PROB; RESEARCH IT; SOLVE IT; THEN TO REVIEW THE SIT. THIS WE DID AND I WAS STILL TROUBLED BY THE INITIAL FAILURE OF THE GEAR TO FULLY RETRACT. I HAVE ABOUT 8 YRS ON THE DC9/MD88 AND HAD SEEN THIS PROB IN THE WINTER MONTHS ONLY; WHERE SNOW AND ICE CONTAMINATION ON ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IS A PROB; AND I'D NEVER SEEN A DOOR OPEN LIGHT ACCOMPANY THE FAILURE OF A GEAR TO RETRACT. WE DISCUSSED IT FURTHER AND FELT THE SIT MAY HAVE BEEN A TIRE FAILURE. WITH THIS IN MIND WE ASKED OUR DISPATCHER TO CONTACT COS TWR FOR A FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE CHK OF THE RWY; AND WE ASKED OUR FLT ATTENDANTS FOR THEIR INPUT. THEY RPTED THEY HEARD A GRINDING NOISE ON ROTATION. WITH THAT RPT; COUPLED WITH THE INITIAL GEAR RETRACTION FAILURE AND A HVY WT; HIGH ALT TKOF THE TIRE FAILURE BECAME A MORE LIKELY SCENARIO. THE FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE FROM COS WAS NEGATIVE BUT I FELT IT NECESSARY TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS. I BRIEFED THE SENIOR FLT ATTENDANT ON THE SIT. I WOULD ADVISE THE PAX; AND THAT SHE SHOULD SECURE THE CABIN AND BRIEF THIS AS A BRACE POS AND POSSIBLE GND EVAC. THE FO DECLARED AN EMER WITH ZFW AND SUBSEQUENTLY REVIEWED IT WITH APCH AND TWR. LATER I BRIEFED THE FIRE CHIEF ON TWR FREQ. WE OURSELVES REVIEWED THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS. GEAR EXTENSION WAS NORMAL WITH THE DOORS CLOSED AND LOCKED. I PUT THE PAX IN A BRACE POS ABOUT 2 MI OUTSIDE THE MARKER. WE MADE A LNDG ON THE R SIDE OF THE RWY AND IT WAS NORMAL IN ALL RESPECTS. AFTER WE STOPPED; THE FIRE CHIEF INSPECTED THE GEAR AND ALL LOOKED NORMAL SO WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. THE MECHS INITIALLY FOUND AN INDICATOR FOR THE GEAR DOORS HAD COME LOOSE; PROBABLY OVER TIME -- INITIALLY AND AS I WRITE THIS RPT THEY HAVE NO REASON WHY THE GEAR INITIALLY FAILED TO RETRACT.