Narrative:

During preflight checklist it was noted that landing gear pins were not stowed in cockpit. First officer, who conducted aircraft exterior inspection commented that pins on this aircraft had been missing on a previous flight and that pins were not seen installed during walk around. After take off an unsafe gear up indication was indicated. Gear was extended and normal landing accomplished. Maintenance met the aircraft and discovered gear pins installed. Flight proceeded without incident. Upon further questioning it became evident that the first officer had not seen the pins installed because the red flags which are normally attached to alert the crew to pin installation were not visible. Also, it was discovered that inadequate preflight walk around training had also occurred due to the crewmember's uncertainty as to the specific location of installed pins for each landing gear location. Captain failed to account for the missing pins by further questioning of maintenance, or first officer, or by making his own visual inspection. Supplemental information from acn 282769: it was evident that the gear pins were installed and I had failed to notice them on my preflight inspection. Also the mechanic who installed them failed to log it in the aircraft log book. He met the aircraft and apologized profusely, removed the pins, and we resumed our flight. Upon reaching our destination I asked the captain to show me the exact location of the pin installation points on each gear since I wasn't sure of the exact location. After this additional instruction I am confident that I will not overlook this item again. I also believe that in training it should be clearly demonstrated pin installation and removal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT MUST RETURN LAND FOR NON REMOVAL OF GEAR PINS.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT CHKLIST IT WAS NOTED THAT LNDG GEAR PINS WERE NOT STOWED IN COCKPIT. FO, WHO CONDUCTED ACFT EXTERIOR INSPECTION COMMENTED THAT PINS ON THIS ACFT HAD BEEN MISSING ON A PREVIOUS FLT AND THAT PINS WERE NOT SEEN INSTALLED DURING WALK AROUND. AFTER TAKE OFF AN UNSAFE GEAR UP INDICATION WAS INDICATED. GEAR WAS EXTENDED AND NORMAL LNDG ACCOMPLISHED. MAINT MET THE ACFT AND DISCOVERED GEAR PINS INSTALLED. FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON FURTHER QUESTIONING IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE FO HAD NOT SEEN THE PINS INSTALLED BECAUSE THE RED FLAGS WHICH ARE NORMALLY ATTACHED TO ALERT THE CREW TO PIN INSTALLATION WERE NOT VISIBLE. ALSO, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT INADEQUATE PREFLT WALK AROUND TRAINING HAD ALSO OCCURRED DUE TO THE CREWMEMBER'S UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE SPECIFIC LOCATION OF INSTALLED PINS FOR EACH LNDG GEAR LOCATION. CAPT FAILED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE MISSING PINS BY FURTHER QUESTIONING OF MAINT, OR FO, OR BY MAKING HIS OWN VISUAL INSPECTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 282769: IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE GEAR PINS WERE INSTALLED AND I HAD FAILED TO NOTICE THEM ON MY PREFLT INSPECTION. ALSO THE MECH WHO INSTALLED THEM FAILED TO LOG IT IN THE ACFT LOG BOOK. HE MET THE ACFT AND APOLOGIZED PROFUSELY, REMOVED THE PINS, AND WE RESUMED OUR FLT. UPON REACHING OUR DEST I ASKED THE CAPT TO SHOW ME THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE PIN INSTALLATION POINTS ON EACH GEAR SINCE I WASN'T SURE OF THE EXACT LOCATION. AFTER THIS ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION I AM CONFIDENT THAT I WILL NOT OVERLOOK THIS ITEM AGAIN. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IN TRAINING IT SHOULD BE CLRLY DEMONSTRATED PIN INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL.

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.