Air carrier widebody transport takeoff with nose gear pin installed.

Attributes
ACN	143916
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zrh
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000
ASRS Report	143916
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During preflight inspection of aircraft the nose gear pin was noted to be still installed. After completing walkaround inspection I found a ground crewman with a radio and informed her that one of our mechanics had to remove the gear pin, that we were not allowed to. She stated that she would take care of it, that it was 'no problem.' I then continued with my preflight inspection and cockpit preparation. Shortly after takeoff, after the gear handle was raised, we observed an unsafe gear warning. The problem was immediately recognized by me, and we returned for an uneventful landing to have the gear pin removed. In the future, especially because of possible language difficulties, I would stay in the area of the affected landing gear until said pin is actually removed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB TKOF WITH NOSE GEAR PIN INSTALLED.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT INSPECTION OF ACFT THE NOSE GEAR PIN WAS NOTED TO BE STILL INSTALLED. AFTER COMPLETING WALKAROUND INSPECTION I FOUND A GND CREWMAN WITH A RADIO AND INFORMED HER THAT ONE OF OUR MECHS HAD TO REMOVE THE GEAR PIN, THAT WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO. SHE STATED THAT SHE WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT, THAT IT WAS 'NO PROB.' I THEN CONTINUED WITH MY PREFLT INSPECTION AND COCKPIT PREPARATION. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, AFTER THE GEAR HANDLE WAS RAISED, WE OBSERVED AN UNSAFE GEAR WARNING. THE PROB WAS IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED BY ME, AND WE RETURNED FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG TO HAVE THE GEAR PIN REMOVED. IN THE FUTURE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES, I WOULD STAY IN THE AREA OF THE AFFECTED LNDG GEAR UNTIL SAID PIN IS ACTUALLY REMOVED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.