Date: 201312
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ; Tower ZZZ
Aircraft component: Nose Gear
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Detector: Automation Aircraft Other Automation; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Declared Emergency
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: After takeoff; we received a Gear Disagree Warning message when we selected gear up. I could tell that the gear was in an unsafe position by sound; and this was confirmed by the EICAS. I asked the First Officer to request a level off at 5;000 FT and to tell ATC that we had a problem with the gear that we would have to work through. After leveling off I asked for the Gear Disagree Checklist and we began to work through the problem. The QRH procedure worked and we were able to manually extend the gear. Once that was complete I handed the aircraft over to the First Officer and I told ATC that we would be returning. I ACARS'd the Dispatcher to let him know we were returning and that we were declaring an emergency. I then called the FA to let her know that we were returning and to expect a normal landing; but we also briefed what to do in case of a gear collapse. I then made a PA announcement to the [passengers] to let them know we were returning and that we should expect a normal landing. ATC asked if we would accept [a shorter runway] but I declined because we were overweight and the QRH noted that the gear may try to retract depending on the type of failure. I also remembered from earlier in the morning that it had some snow on the west end. I ran the landing data and set up the approach; briefed it; [and] then we transferred the controls back to me for the landing. I touched down normally and we taxied back to the gate under the supervision of the fire department. Upon reaching the gate I called MTC wrote up the gear and the overweight landing. In the future; I think I will be quicker to declare an emergency; but I feel we handled the event very well overall.


Second narrative: Climbing out past 1;400 for 5;000 FT; we received gear disagree message. Nose gear did not indicate up and locked (with associated noise from open gear doors). Captain kept airspeed under 200 KTS. I got clearance to maintain 5;000 FT instead of climbing to 15;000 FT. We took vectors while working through the QRH. After gear was down and locked by the QRH; Captain talked to passengers and Dispatch while I flew; then the Captain set up the approach to the longest runway. We then transferred the controls back to the Captain; declared an emergency with ATC; and landed uneventfully. Taxi back to gate was uneventful. Landing was overweight; at approximately 50;000 lbs.


Synopsis: CRJ200 flight crew reports failure of the nose gear to retract completely after takeoff. QRH procedures are used to extend the gear manually and the flight returns to the departure airport for an overweight landing.