Air carrier large transport departed sea with gear pins still installed.

Attributes
ACN	174658
Time
Date	199104
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 158 flight time total : 11120
ASRS Report	174658
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	175111
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

The occurrence was a takeoff with gear pins installed. I was captain on flight from sea to dfw, using air carrier Y interchange aircraft. While preparing for departure the F/east informed me that he found the gear pins installed on the aircraft, and the east&east compartment door open with a gear pin pouch hanging out of it. The aircraft had just been towed from a hangar by an air carrier Y ground crew. Thinking this might be an air carrier Y procedure I was unaware of, I told the F/east that we would make sure that the east&east hatch was closed, and the pins removed before leaving the gate. A few mins later I noticed the east&east hatch was closed, and when the ground man checked in on headset I told him the F/east had found the pins installed, and specifically asked him if they had been removed. He said yes, that they were all buttoned up and ready to go. In fact, they had not been removed. The reason this happened, I think, lies in the fact that 2 sets of ground crews were involved readying the aircraft for departure, 2 sets of procedures were used, making it more possible for someone to think something had been done when it in fact hadn't. Also it was dark and rainy making it more difficult to see on the ramp.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT DEPARTED SEA WITH GEAR PINS STILL INSTALLED.

Narrative: THE OCCURRENCE WAS A TKOF WITH GEAR PINS INSTALLED. I WAS CAPT ON FLT FROM SEA TO DFW, USING ACR Y INTERCHANGE ACFT. WHILE PREPARING FOR DEP THE F/E INFORMED ME THAT HE FOUND THE GEAR PINS INSTALLED ON THE ACFT, AND THE E&E COMPARTMENT DOOR OPEN WITH A GEAR PIN POUCH HANGING OUT OF IT. THE ACFT HAD JUST BEEN TOWED FROM A HANGAR BY AN ACR Y GND CREW. THINKING THIS MIGHT BE AN ACR Y PROC I WAS UNAWARE OF, I TOLD THE F/E THAT WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE E&E HATCH WAS CLOSED, AND THE PINS REMOVED BEFORE LEAVING THE GATE. A FEW MINS LATER I NOTICED THE E&E HATCH WAS CLOSED, AND WHEN THE GND MAN CHKED IN ON HEADSET I TOLD HIM THE F/E HAD FOUND THE PINS INSTALLED, AND SPECIFICALLY ASKED HIM IF THEY HAD BEEN REMOVED. HE SAID YES, THAT THEY WERE ALL BUTTONED UP AND READY TO GO. IN FACT, THEY HAD NOT BEEN REMOVED. THE REASON THIS HAPPENED, I THINK, LIES IN THE FACT THAT 2 SETS OF GND CREWS WERE INVOLVED READYING THE ACFT FOR DEP, 2 SETS OF PROCS WERE USED, MAKING IT MORE POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TO THINK SOMETHING HAD BEEN DONE WHEN IT IN FACT HADN'T. ALSO IT WAS DARK AND RAINY MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE ON THE RAMP.

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.