Summation of the audio courtesy of Avweb..
According to audiotapes of the radio traffic with Chattanooga Approach Control (
available here from LiveATC), the crew of Flight 1376 reported shortly after takeoff that it was returning to the airport due to a “flight control issue” and advised they were not declaring an emergency at that time and did not anticipate the need for assistance.But as the flight maneuvered for an ILS approach to Runway 20, they said they needed to break off the approach due to an unsafe gear indication. Later, the crew advised ATC they would not be able to taxi clear of the runway after landing due to “no steering available,” suggesting they would need a tug to retrieve the aircraft. They then declared an emergency, reporting there were three souls on board and “about an hour and a half” of fuel
When the controller asked if the emergency was due to an unsafe gear indication, the crew advised they were activating an “alternate gear extension,” which in the 757 involves a separate battery-operated hydraulic power pack (suggesting that the overriding issue was with the main hydraulic system)
The FedEx crew asked for a low pass over the runway and for ground observers to advise if the gear was extended. Observers in the tower and on the ground said they could not see the gear extended, and the crew said they were going to perform a no-gear landing. ATC told them they would have emergency vehicles standing by