The nose landing gear pin was left in after a maintenance procedure.

Attributes
ACN	282309
Time
Date	199408
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	282309
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

The aircraft left sea on a revenue flight at XF30 and after takeoff was unable to retract the nose landing gear. After returning to the gate it was found that the nose landing gear ground safety lock had been left in. Contributing factors were the short amount of time to get the job done before departure time. The lack of enough help, (trying to do too much of the job myself) and the distrs of others working the plane, cleaners, ramp, etc. On aug/wed/94 I was working gate X. About XA15 I was told by my lead that my next through trip, plane number Y, had a deferred item, a nose landing gear strut that had to have a full strut service. Also, the plane only had 4 hours left on its 2 service and would need a full 2 service on it before departure. My lead said that he would try to get someone to help me with the job. I parked Y at XB05 and walked around the aircraft doing part of the 2 service on the way. I found both nose landing gear tires worn beyond 2 service limits, made write-ups to replace. I pinned the nose gear and accomplished the strut service. After finishing the strut service I changed both nose tires and with completion of the job, the gear pin was inadvertently left in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE NOSE LNDG GEAR PIN WAS LEFT IN AFTER A MAINT PROC.

Narrative: THE ACFT LEFT SEA ON A REVENUE FLT AT XF30 AND AFTER TKOF WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THE NOSE LNDG GEAR. AFTER RETURNING TO THE GATE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE NOSE LNDG GEAR GND SAFETY LOCK HAD BEEN LEFT IN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET THE JOB DONE BEFORE DEP TIME. THE LACK OF ENOUGH HELP, (TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH OF THE JOB MYSELF) AND THE DISTRS OF OTHERS WORKING THE PLANE, CLEANERS, RAMP, ETC. ON AUG/WED/94 I WAS WORKING GATE X. ABOUT XA15 I WAS TOLD BY MY LEAD THAT MY NEXT THROUGH TRIP, PLANE NUMBER Y, HAD A DEFERRED ITEM, A NOSE LNDG GEAR STRUT THAT HAD TO HAVE A FULL STRUT SVC. ALSO, THE PLANE ONLY HAD 4 HRS LEFT ON ITS 2 SVC AND WOULD NEED A FULL 2 SVC ON IT BEFORE DEP. MY LEAD SAID THAT HE WOULD TRY TO GET SOMEONE TO HELP ME WITH THE JOB. I PARKED Y AT XB05 AND WALKED AROUND THE ACFT DOING PART OF THE 2 SVC ON THE WAY. I FOUND BOTH NOSE LNDG GEAR TIRES WORN BEYOND 2 SVC LIMITS, MADE WRITE-UPS TO REPLACE. I PINNED THE NOSE GEAR AND ACCOMPLISHED THE STRUT SVC. AFTER FINISHING THE STRUT SVC I CHANGED BOTH NOSE TIRES AND WITH COMPLETION OF THE JOB, THE GEAR PIN WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT IN.

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.