MD88 DECLARES EMER AND RETURNS TO DEP ARPT DUE TO ABNORMAL GEAR RETRACTION; EXCESSIVE NOISE AND SMELL OF BURNT RUBBER.

Narrative

AFTER TKOF AND UPON GEAR RETRACTION; HEARD LOUD NOISE (AIRFLOW/TIRE SPIN) AND VIBRATION FROM NOSE GEAR AREA; WITH NO UNSAFE GEAR INDICATIONS. LIGHT SMELL OF RUBBER. SUSPECTED BAD SNUBBER TO SLOW TIRE ROTATION; BUT SOUND DID NOT ABATE AT ALL. EXTENDED LNDG GEAR AND PULLED OUT THE QRH. RETRACTED GEAR AGAIN WITH SAME NOISE/VIBRATION AND THE ADDITION OF AN UNSAFE GEAR LIGHT ON THE NOSE GEAR. EXTENDED GEAR AGAIN AS DIRECTED BY THE QRH. DECLARED AN EMER WITH DEP CTL; DUE TO THE UNKNOWN CONDITION OF THE LNDG GEAR; AND REQUESTED A RETURN TO LAND AT ZZZ. COORDINATED WITH FLT ATTENDANTS TO PREPARE CABIN FOR POTENTIAL ROUGH LNDG. LANDED UNEVENTFULLY WITH NORMAL ROLLOUT. NOTICED FLICKERING SHADOWS FROM NOSE GEAR LNDG LIGHTS UPON LNDG AND SOME EXTRA VIBRATION BEYOND THE NORM ON SHORT FINAL. SUSPECTED LOOSE/DANGLING GEAR DOORS. ROLLED OFF ON HIGH SPD TXWY AND HAD CFR AND MAINT PERSONNEL INSPECT NOSE GEAR. NO ABNORMALITIES DETECTED. TAXIED TO GATE UNEVENTFULLY. MAINT PERSONNEL DISCOVERED NOSE GEAR NEEDED 'SVCING' AND BELIEVE THE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT IN THE CONDITION THAT IT WAS IN.