Mdt flight crew unable to retract nose gear after takeoff. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	340071
Time
Date	199606
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 27 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : tpa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 13500 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	340071
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After first officer completed preflight, it was determined by ramp that this aircraft would have to be towed from one gate position to another. When towing, nose gear lock is installed to keep it from collapsing. First officer was already in his seat, I (captain) was standing in cabin -- no passenger on board. After aircraft was moved, we boarded passenger and left the gate. After takeoff, nose gear did not retract. We returned to tpa and at the gate we found that the nose gear locking mechanism was still engaged, preventing the gear from retracting. The ramp procedure is to place a red flag on the nose gear pin whenever a tow bar is attached. I feel that this was not done, as it would have been in plain view of the ground marshaller when we were directed off the gate. We received an updated release and refueled and went on our way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MDT FLC UNABLE TO RETRACT NOSE GEAR AFTER TKOF. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: AFTER FO COMPLETED PREFLT, IT WAS DETERMINED BY RAMP THAT THIS ACFT WOULD HAVE TO BE TOWED FROM ONE GATE POS TO ANOTHER. WHEN TOWING, NOSE GEAR LOCK IS INSTALLED TO KEEP IT FROM COLLAPSING. FO WAS ALREADY IN HIS SEAT, I (CAPT) WAS STANDING IN CABIN -- NO PAX ON BOARD. AFTER ACFT WAS MOVED, WE BOARDED PAX AND LEFT THE GATE. AFTER TKOF, NOSE GEAR DID NOT RETRACT. WE RETURNED TO TPA AND AT THE GATE WE FOUND THAT THE NOSE GEAR LOCKING MECHANISM WAS STILL ENGAGED, PREVENTING THE GEAR FROM RETRACTING. THE RAMP PROC IS TO PLACE A RED FLAG ON THE NOSE GEAR PIN WHENEVER A TOW BAR IS ATTACHED. I FEEL THAT THIS WAS NOT DONE, AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN PLAIN VIEW OF THE GND MARSHALLER WHEN WE WERE DIRECTED OFF THE GATE. WE RECEIVED AN UPDATED RELEASE AND REFUELED AND WENT ON OUR WAY.

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.