Large transport mechanic forgets to remove nose gear anti-retraction pin.

Attributes
ACN	291852
Time
Date	199412
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dal
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	291852
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft received a red light on the nose gear on takeoff retraction. I am an airline lead mechanic. I had released the aircraft 1 hour prior to this takeoff which required an air turn- back and delay. The light was because I had failed to remove the nose gear anti-retraction pin. This was a logbook entry and I did sign for removing all the gear pins. The main gear pins were clearly visible and I removed them. Identing the nose gear pin was difficult for its standard 'remove before flight' streamer was not visible. With a maintenance crew of 5 or 6 mechanics and an aircraft going out it is not uncommon to get caught up in thinking maybe someone got it and forgot to sign for it. I did look in the nose gear section very hastily and verified that there were pins in the pouch. All in all it was my negligence that caused this incident and I did receive a day off of work without pay for it. Because it was not a safety related item to the aircraft, more of an inconvenience to the flight crew and passenger. I still believe it is necessary to report my fault due to the air turn-back

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT MECH FORGETS TO REMOVE NOSE GEAR ANTI-RETRACTION PIN.

Narrative: ACFT RECEIVED A RED LIGHT ON THE NOSE GEAR ON TKOF RETRACTION. I AM AN AIRLINE LEAD MECH. I HAD RELEASED THE ACFT 1 HR PRIOR TO THIS TKOF WHICH REQUIRED AN AIR TURN- BACK AND DELAY. THE LIGHT WAS BECAUSE I HAD FAILED TO REMOVE THE NOSE GEAR ANTI-RETRACTION PIN. THIS WAS A LOGBOOK ENTRY AND I DID SIGN FOR REMOVING ALL THE GEAR PINS. THE MAIN GEAR PINS WERE CLRLY VISIBLE AND I REMOVED THEM. IDENTING THE NOSE GEAR PIN WAS DIFFICULT FOR ITS STANDARD 'REMOVE BEFORE FLT' STREAMER WAS NOT VISIBLE. WITH A MAINT CREW OF 5 OR 6 MECHS AND AN ACFT GOING OUT IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THINKING MAYBE SOMEONE GOT IT AND FORGOT TO SIGN FOR IT. I DID LOOK IN THE NOSE GEAR SECTION VERY HASTILY AND VERIFIED THAT THERE WERE PINS IN THE POUCH. ALL IN ALL IT WAS MY NEGLIGENCE THAT CAUSED THIS INCIDENT AND I DID RECEIVE A DAY OFF OF WORK WITHOUT PAY FOR IT. BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A SAFETY RELATED ITEM TO THE ACFT, MORE OF AN INCONVENIENCE TO THE FLC AND PAX. I STILL BELIEVE IT IS NECESSARY TO RPT MY FAULT DUE TO THE AIR TURN-BACK

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.