B767 FLT CREW HAD A GEAR MALFUNCTION DEPARTING SBGR.

Narrative

AFTER TKOF; APPROX 30-60 SECONDS AFTER RAISING THE LNDG GEAR UP FOR GEAR RETRACTION; THE CREW NOTICED THE GEAR DOOR ANNUNCIATOR WARNING LIGHTS ON; FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY 'ENG INDICATION AND CREW ALERTING SYS (EICAS) CAUTION MESSAGES FOR 'GEAR DISAGREE SHOULD BE DISAGREE.' WE WERE CLBING THROUGH 6000 FT AND DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO CRUISE ALT TO EVALUATE THE PROB. MAX GEAR EXTENDED SPD IS 270 KTS; .78 MACH SO AIRSPD WAS KEPT TO 250 KTS TO AVOID GEAR OVERSPD. AT CRUISE ALT; FL310; WE ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH OUR DISPATCHER IN ZZZ AND OUR MAINT CTLR IN ZZZZ1. IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE FLT SHOULD RETURN TO SAU PAULO. DURING THE AFTER TKOF CHKLIST; THE GEAR HANDLE WAS PLACED 'OFF' WHICH CAUSED THE L MAIN GEAR TO FREE-FALL TO THE DOWN AND LOCKED POS. THE GEAR HANDLE WAS MOVED BACK TO THE 'UP' POS WHICH RAISED THE GEAR BUT IT WOULD NOT LOCK UP. ALL ABNORMAL AND NORMAL CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED AND IT WAS DECIDED THAT AN OVERWT LNDG WAS A SAFE COURSE OF ACTION FOR LNDG ON RWY 9L; WHICH IS 12000 FT IN SAU PAULO (SBGR). DURING THE APCH; THE GEAR EXTENDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. DURING THE LNDG ROLLOUT; THE TWR CTLR OBSERVED A SHOWER OF SPARKS FROM THE L MAIN LNDG GEAR. BRAKING WAS NORMAL WITHOUT OVERHEATING THE WHEEL BRAKES. THE CFR VEHICLES WERE REQUESTED AS A PRECAUTION; BUT WERE NOT NEEDED. THE ACFT WAS TOWED VIA A TUG TRUCK FROM THE END OF RWY 9L TO THE TERMINAL. ONCE AT THE TERMINAL; THE CREW AND MECHS CONDUCTED AN INSPECTION AND DISCOVERED A DISCONNECT BRAKE ASSEMBLY DRAG LINK (ABOUT 3 FT LONG) WHICH CONTACTED THE RWY CREATING THE SPARKS AND ALSO PREVENTED THE GEAR DOOR FROM CLOSING AND LOCKING. NO AIRFRAME DAMAGE RECORDED.