Narrative:

During the preflight, the nose gear flag, with lanyard attached, was laying on the ground, while the other end was still attached to the 'C' clamp of the nose towing switch. I removed the clamp and tossed the entire lanyard near the airstairs. The preflight was continued, and the other 2 pins, with flags, tossed near the airstairs. All 3 flags were then placed in a plastic bag for stowage in the cockpit. On gear retraction, the nose gear would not retract. Gear was recycled, flight returned to kcle for an uneventful landing gear pin was found still installed, without flag. When I first reached the aircraft for preflight, I saw the flag and lanyard lying on the ground which led me to believe the ground crew began to remove pins which is normal. Contributing factors: flag was missing from pin but still attached to lanyard. Human factors: there was a driving rain at the time of preflight with temperature above freezing. It was not a pleasant time to do a preflight. Corrective actions: have ground crew remove all pins prior to preflight. This way the crew preflight would serve as a second check. When reading checklist, at gear pins, both pilots should physically check the bag for 3 pins. All pins should be stowed in the gear pin holder behind the captain's seat as designed. It is not normally used because it will be greasy and mess up clothing.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT MADE A TKOF WITH THE NOSE GEAR PIN STILL IN PLACE.

Narrative: DURING THE PREFLT, THE NOSE GEAR FLAG, WITH LANYARD ATTACHED, WAS LAYING ON THE GND, WHILE THE OTHER END WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE 'C' CLAMP OF THE NOSE TOWING SWITCH. I REMOVED THE CLAMP AND TOSSED THE ENTIRE LANYARD NEAR THE AIRSTAIRS. THE PREFLT WAS CONTINUED, AND THE OTHER 2 PINS, WITH FLAGS, TOSSED NEAR THE AIRSTAIRS. ALL 3 FLAGS WERE THEN PLACED IN A PLASTIC BAG FOR STOWAGE IN THE COCKPIT. ON GEAR RETRACTION, THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. GEAR WAS RECYCLED, FLT RETURNED TO KCLE FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG GEAR PIN WAS FOUND STILL INSTALLED, WITHOUT FLAG. WHEN I FIRST REACHED THE ACFT FOR PREFLT, I SAW THE FLAG AND LANYARD LYING ON THE GND WHICH LED ME TO BELIEVE THE GND CREW BEGAN TO REMOVE PINS WHICH IS NORMAL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: FLAG WAS MISSING FROM PIN BUT STILL ATTACHED TO LANYARD. HUMAN FACTORS: THERE WAS A DRIVING RAIN AT THE TIME OF PREFLT WITH TEMP ABOVE FREEZING. IT WAS NOT A PLEASANT TIME TO DO A PREFLT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: HAVE GND CREW REMOVE ALL PINS PRIOR TO PREFLT. THIS WAY THE CREW PREFLT WOULD SERVE AS A SECOND CHK. WHEN READING CHKLIST, AT GEAR PINS, BOTH PLTS SHOULD PHYSICALLY CHK THE BAG FOR 3 PINS. ALL PINS SHOULD BE STOWED IN THE GEAR PIN HOLDER BEHIND THE CAPT'S SEAT AS DESIGNED. IT IS NOT NORMALLY USED BECAUSE IT WILL BE GREASY AND MESS UP CLOTHING.

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.