CRJ200 nose gear doors failed to close after gear retraction. Flight returns to departure airport where Mechanic cycled the exterior gear door switch and the doors closed normally.
Synopsis
CRJ200 nose gear doors failed to close after gear retraction. Flight returns to departure airport where Mechanic cycled the exterior gear door switch and the doors closed normally.
Narrative
Upon arrival at gate; aircraft needed maintenance for [integrated avionics processor system] degraded write up. Mechanic completed repair after going to hangar to get DCU to replace DCU #2. Mechanic indicated part came out of another aircraft. After sign off; I completed preflight and after Maintenance walk around. Paid particular attention to avionics bay where repair was made. Inspected nose gear area and felt confident [that the] door was closed. Push back was completed and no indication from ground crew concerning door position. During taxi and prior to takeoff; no warnings posted and TO CONFIG OK message posted. Upon takeoff; gear cycled and we got a NOSE DOOR OPEN warning on EICAS. [We] ran the QRH checklist and notified Departure; Maintenance; Dispatch and Operations. Completed all appropriate checklists and made normal approach and landing. Gear was extended on down wind. Landed under landing weight and parked at gate. Maintenance met aircraft and; I think; recycled the nose door switch. Door closed and write up was cleared and signed off by Maintenance. Dispatch issued new release and second attempt of flight completed without complication. Only undesired aircraft state was nose door open. No other threats recognized.Don't know if taking part from donor aircraft in hangar could have contributed to the event. Both of us are confident that no warnings were posted. Don't think pilot on the flight deck could have missed an aural door open warning as well as posted red warning; if switch was left in wrong position on preflight inspection.
Second reporter narrative
All preflight activity; inspections; checklists; and duties performed per company standard practice with no abnormal indications noted. After departure and approximately 3-5 seconds after selecting the gear up; we received a warning and EICAS message that the nose gear doors were still open. Called for; and First Officer performed; the appropriate checklist. Gear doors remained open. Per checklist had to land at nearest suitable airport which meant an air return to departure airport. Coordinated with Departure Control; Maintenance; Dispatcher; and company Operations for return with gear down. Approach; landing; and taxi to gate were done without further incident.As a flight crew we have no idea how or why this happened other than perhaps a 'glitch' in the system; a sensor; or the nose gear switch in the exterior communications panel. At the gate; the Mechanic cycled the exterior gear door switch and the doors closed normally. He signed off the Maintenance write-up as we were being re-dispatched to our original destination and left shortly thereafter with the Mechanic indicating it was a switch issue.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.