Narrative:

Arrived at XA00 for an XA45 departure from tys to clt. We checked in with flight control via telephone and were advised that the airplane had a lugnut missing that was noticed on preflight by previous crew. Flight control told me there would be 2 mechanics on a XA25 arrival coming from pittsburgh, and that we could anticipate a 20 min delay. The 2 mechanics arrived on time, fixed the lugnut and in 20 mins were on the return flight to pittsburgh. Unfortunately, they left a gear strut extension bar on the right gear. I had the first officer check the gear before takeoff and he missed seeing the bar. Normal takeoff, but gear would not retract. Gear was deactivated by jack, causing gear override to not allow gear retraction. Asked for extended downwind and did all appropriate checklists. Landed normally. After shutdown, I went to right gear and discovered problem. No damage. This should not happen. What caused this problem in my opinion: 1) 2 mechanics doing 1 job. 2) mechanics being rushed. 3) my copilot did not do what I asked him to do. Didn't want to get his hands dirty. 4) on taxi out, there could have been a caution message 'wow proxy' but I don't recall seeing it, but since I'm new in the airplane and I don't know what is normal, I could have missed it. I noticed it in the air after gear wouldn't come up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC TOOK OFF WITH MAINT BLOCKING DEVICE IN LNDG GEAR STRUT WHICH IMPEDED RETRACTING THE GEAR.

Narrative: ARRIVED AT XA00 FOR AN XA45 DEP FROM TYS TO CLT. WE CHKED IN WITH FLT CTL VIA TELEPHONE AND WERE ADVISED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD A LUGNUT MISSING THAT WAS NOTICED ON PREFLT BY PREVIOUS CREW. FLT CTL TOLD ME THERE WOULD BE 2 MECHS ON A XA25 ARR COMING FROM PITTSBURGH, AND THAT WE COULD ANTICIPATE A 20 MIN DELAY. THE 2 MECHS ARRIVED ON TIME, FIXED THE LUGNUT AND IN 20 MINS WERE ON THE RETURN FLT TO PITTSBURGH. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY LEFT A GEAR STRUT EXTENSION BAR ON THE R GEAR. I HAD THE FO CHK THE GEAR BEFORE TKOF AND HE MISSED SEEING THE BAR. NORMAL TKOF, BUT GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. GEAR WAS DEACTIVATED BY JACK, CAUSING GEAR OVERRIDE TO NOT ALLOW GEAR RETRACTION. ASKED FOR EXTENDED DOWNWIND AND DID ALL APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS. LANDED NORMALLY. AFTER SHUTDOWN, I WENT TO R GEAR AND DISCOVERED PROB. NO DAMAGE. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. WHAT CAUSED THIS PROB IN MY OPINION: 1) 2 MECHS DOING 1 JOB. 2) MECHS BEING RUSHED. 3) MY COPLT DID NOT DO WHAT I ASKED HIM TO DO. DIDN'T WANT TO GET HIS HANDS DIRTY. 4) ON TAXI OUT, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A CAUTION MESSAGE 'WOW PROXY' BUT I DON'T RECALL SEEING IT, BUT SINCE I'M NEW IN THE AIRPLANE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS NORMAL, I COULD HAVE MISSED IT. I NOTICED IT IN THE AIR AFTER GEAR WOULDN'T COME UP.

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.