Date: 201504
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Climb
Airspace: Class C ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Aircraft component: Nose Gear Door
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: My crew and I kept this aircraft for the entire day (4 legs) of flying; terminating with this leg.  On our initial leg with the aircraft on climb out there was a lot of unusual wind noise after gear retraction.  It almost sounded like the gear were still extended; but all of the indicators stated that the gear had retracted successfully.  I began to suspect that the nose gear doors had not closed properly during gear retraction; but there is no way to verify this from the cockpit in flight and no indication to confirm my suspicion; so after discussing with the first officer; we requested a fly by of the tower to confirm.  Tower confirmed that the nose gear doors were open.  There was no procedure indicated in the manual for the situation; so after reviewing the QRH and discussing it with the first officer; we decided to cycle the gear.  We slowed to 190 kts and cycled the gear; which successfully resolved the issue.  We continued the flight.  Upon landing; we queried maintenance as to how we should handle the write up; and after a brief wait; they informed us that it wasn't necessary to write it up because there was no indication in the cockpit and the problem had resolved itself.  We continued flying the aircraft for two more legs without further incident.  Upon retracting the gear on climb out on our 4th and final leg of the day; we again experience the continued wind noise after gear retraction.  Suspecting that again the nose gear doors were still open; we were still at 180 kts on the climb out; we cycled the gear and the nose gear doors closed without further incident.  Upon landing at the conclusion of the flight; I phoned maintenance to ask about the write up; explaining everything I've written above.  Again the maintenance personnel said that it wasn't really necessary to write it up; because the problem had resolved and there was no indication for it; and that writing it up would 'put the airplane down' because they would have to send people and equipment to trouble shoot and try to reproduce the issue; but that ultimately it was my decision what I wanted to do.  After further discussion we decided I would not write it up.I placed too much confidence in the advice given by maintenance control in both cases.  I let the pressure to remain on time and avoid possibly delaying our flights or subsequent flights cloud my judgment about the best course of action. If a maintenance issue occurs; even if the problem has fixed itself by the time we are able to contact maintenance; write it up so that a history can be built and at least there is awareness of a possible problem.  Don't allow the pressure to be on time or avoid disrupting an aircraft's schedule influence the decision of whether or not something should be written up.




Synopsis: An EMB145 Captain experiences failure of the nose gear doors to close after gear retraction on takeoff. The gear is cycled and the doors close. After landing Maintenance is queried about a write up and it is suggested that none is required and none is made. After two more legs are flown without incident the doors remain open on the fourth leg and are closed by cycling the gear. Again no logbook entry is made.