An air carrier B727-200 flight crew was unable to retract the landing gear after takeoff. After retu...

Attributes
ACN	324655
Time
Date	199512
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff climbout : initial ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	324655
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	324656
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On a B727-200, we were replacing a sheared bolt on a lower wing panel and the shift before had disconnected the gear door actuator arm and tied it back. Then they pinned the nose and left hand main gear and retracted the right hand main for access to the bolt. After the bolt was replaced we extended the gear and reinstalled the actuator arm. On takeoff the gear would not retract. It was found that the arm was installed upside down. A better turnover and more sleep may have prevented this. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said that the actuator arm goes between the main strut and the drag link. However, during the rush to finish the job, this team installed the arm so that it passed behind the drag link instead of in front. As the gear attempted to retract the drag link struck the actuator arm and stopped, preventing further movement. There was no damage. Once the arm was properly routed the gear functioned normally. The maintenance team felt that errors are more common during the night shift due to fatigue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727-200 FLC WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THE LNDG GEAR AFTER TKOF. AFTER RETURNING, MECH DISCOVERED THAT AN ACTUATOR ARM HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY REATTACHED. THE ARM WAS THEN PROPERLY INSTALLED AND THE GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY. NO DAMAGE.

Narrative: ON A B727-200, WE WERE REPLACING A SHEARED BOLT ON A LOWER WING PANEL AND THE SHIFT BEFORE HAD DISCONNECTED THE GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR ARM AND TIED IT BACK. THEN THEY PINNED THE NOSE AND L HAND MAIN GEAR AND RETRACTED THE R HAND MAIN FOR ACCESS TO THE BOLT. AFTER THE BOLT WAS REPLACED WE EXTENDED THE GEAR AND REINSTALLED THE ACTUATOR ARM. ON TKOF THE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ARM WAS INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN. A BETTER TURNOVER AND MORE SLEEP MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT THE ACTUATOR ARM GOES BTWN THE MAIN STRUT AND THE DRAG LINK. HOWEVER, DURING THE RUSH TO FINISH THE JOB, THIS TEAM INSTALLED THE ARM SO THAT IT PASSED BEHIND THE DRAG LINK INSTEAD OF IN FRONT. AS THE GEAR ATTEMPTED TO RETRACT THE DRAG LINK STRUCK THE ACTUATOR ARM AND STOPPED, PREVENTING FURTHER MOVEMENT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. ONCE THE ARM WAS PROPERLY ROUTED THE GEAR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE MAINT TEAM FELT THAT ERRORS ARE MORE COMMON DURING THE NIGHT SHIFT DUE TO FATIGUE.

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.

An air carrier B727-200 flight crew was unable to retract the landing gear after takeoff. After returning, mechanic discovered that an actuator arm had been improperly reattached. The arm was then properly installed and the gear operated normally. No damage.