Main gear pins left in. Flight crew technique preflight procedure.

Attributes
ACN	295207
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 815 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg tower : cvg tracon : avl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	295207
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On jan/sun/95 at XA50, the first officer and I reported for duty to perform a flight from cvg to evv. The first officer performed the exterior inspection while I prepared the cockpit for departure. When the exterior inspection was completed, together we performed the aircraft acceptance checklist and the before engine start checklist. When reaching the checklist item 'gear pins,' the first officer responded 'removed.' after we departed cvg, I selected 'gear up' and the main landing gear did not retract. We returned to cvg with a normal landing. When we arrived at the terminal gate, maintenance personnel discovered that the safety pins had not been removed. One of the pins did not have a warning flag, and the other pin's flag was not visibly displayed because it was wrapped around the pin and was extremely dirty. Some of the factors that contributed to the oversight of the first officer's inspection were: 1) poorly displayed gear pins. 2) our aircraft was parked at the terminal gate and appeared to have flown recently. (This company only pins its aircraft when parked overnight.) 3) the first officer had minimal rest due to car problems. To avoid this problem in the future, I will brief the first officer to look for the open hole for the gear pin rather than looking for the flags.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MAIN GEAR PINS LEFT IN. FLC TECHNIQUE PREFLT PROC.

Narrative: ON JAN/SUN/95 AT XA50, THE FO AND I RPTED FOR DUTY TO PERFORM A FLT FROM CVG TO EVV. THE FO PERFORMED THE EXTERIOR INSPECTION WHILE I PREPARED THE COCKPIT FOR DEP. WHEN THE EXTERIOR INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED, TOGETHER WE PERFORMED THE ACFT ACCEPTANCE CHKLIST AND THE BEFORE ENG START CHKLIST. WHEN REACHING THE CHKLIST ITEM 'GEAR PINS,' THE FO RESPONDED 'REMOVED.' AFTER WE DEPARTED CVG, I SELECTED 'GEAR UP' AND THE MAIN LNDG GEAR DID NOT RETRACT. WE RETURNED TO CVG WITH A NORMAL LNDG. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE TERMINAL GATE, MAINT PERSONNEL DISCOVERED THAT THE SAFETY PINS HAD NOT BEEN REMOVED. ONE OF THE PINS DID NOT HAVE A WARNING FLAG, AND THE OTHER PIN'S FLAG WAS NOT VISIBLY DISPLAYED BECAUSE IT WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE PIN AND WAS EXTREMELY DIRTY. SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE OVERSIGHT OF THE FO'S INSPECTION WERE: 1) POORLY DISPLAYED GEAR PINS. 2) OUR ACFT WAS PARKED AT THE TERMINAL GATE AND APPEARED TO HAVE FLOWN RECENTLY. (THIS COMPANY ONLY PINS ITS ACFT WHEN PARKED OVERNIGHT.) 3) THE FO HAD MINIMAL REST DUE TO CAR PROBS. TO AVOID THIS PROB IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BRIEF THE FO TO LOOK FOR THE OPEN HOLE FOR THE GEAR PIN RATHER THAN LOOKING FOR THE FLAGS.

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.