Aircraft equipment problem landing gear uplock hook fouled with tape.

Attributes
ACN	315691
Time
Date	199509
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sby
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	315691
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I took a turnover on aircraft from lead mechanic. After reviewing with the mechanic final maintenance actions to be completed, I took aircraft out of the hangar and completed run-up operations and leak checks. Aircraft was then repositioned to the gate. After reviewing paperwork for completion, I released aircraft into service. Approximately 10 mins after departure, aircraft did an air turn back. I was alerted by flight dispatch that aircraft was returning with a gear problem. Crew reported left main landing gear, when retracted, showed unsafe and all gear doors stayed open. I found bubble wrap taped to left main landing gear uplock hook, approximately size of average man's fist. Due to location, color of tape and backgnd of gear well, maintenance and crew preflts overlooked uplock hook obstruction. I do not know by who or why the uplock hook was taped up. There was no open discrepancy nor was there a flag or something to alert that it was there. Object was removed, gear well inspected and no further items found.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB LNDG GEAR UPLOCK HOOK FOULED WITH TAPE.

Narrative: I TOOK A TURNOVER ON ACFT FROM LEAD MECH. AFTER REVIEWING WITH THE MECH FINAL MAINT ACTIONS TO BE COMPLETED, I TOOK ACFT OUT OF THE HANGAR AND COMPLETED RUN-UP OPS AND LEAK CHKS. ACFT WAS THEN REPOSITIONED TO THE GATE. AFTER REVIEWING PAPERWORK FOR COMPLETION, I RELEASED ACFT INTO SVC. APPROX 10 MINS AFTER DEP, ACFT DID AN AIR TURN BACK. I WAS ALERTED BY FLT DISPATCH THAT ACFT WAS RETURNING WITH A GEAR PROB. CREW RPTED L MAIN LNDG GEAR, WHEN RETRACTED, SHOWED UNSAFE AND ALL GEAR DOORS STAYED OPEN. I FOUND BUBBLE WRAP TAPED TO L MAIN LNDG GEAR UPLOCK HOOK, APPROX SIZE OF AVERAGE MAN'S FIST. DUE TO LOCATION, COLOR OF TAPE AND BACKGND OF GEAR WELL, MAINT AND CREW PREFLTS OVERLOOKED UPLOCK HOOK OBSTRUCTION. I DO NOT KNOW BY WHO OR WHY THE UPLOCK HOOK WAS TAPED UP. THERE WAS NO OPEN DISCREPANCY NOR WAS THERE A FLAG OR SOMETHING TO ALERT THAT IT WAS THERE. OBJECT WAS REMOVED, GEAR WELL INSPECTED AND NO FURTHER ITEMS FOUND.

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.