BA3100 takeoff from sux with the nosegear pin still installed. Had to return land.

Attributes
ACN	360150
Time
Date	199702
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sux
State Reference	IA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sux
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial 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 : 250 flight time total : 3000 flight time type : 320
ASRS Report	360150
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
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft towed from maintenance hangar. After departure nosegear would not retract, returned for landing. On postflt, found nosegear pin to still be installed. Aircraft was preflted in hangar and nosegear pin was installed per SOP to facilitate towing the aircraft out of hangar for departure. Crew boarded aircraft in hangar to be towed for departure. Crew remained in aircraft during tow and subsequent fueling. Towbar disconnected by maintenance personnel, but failed to remove gear pin. Crew failed to notice lack of gear pin on board (pin normally stowed in aft portion of aircraft and not an inspection checklist item). Same personnel flagged both engine starts and marshalled aircraft to taxi.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BA3100 TKOF FROM SUX WITH THE NOSEGEAR PIN STILL INSTALLED. HAD TO RETURN LAND.

Narrative: ACFT TOWED FROM MAINT HANGAR. AFTER DEP NOSEGEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT, RETURNED FOR LNDG. ON POSTFLT, FOUND NOSEGEAR PIN TO STILL BE INSTALLED. ACFT WAS PREFLTED IN HANGAR AND NOSEGEAR PIN WAS INSTALLED PER SOP TO FACILITATE TOWING THE ACFT OUT OF HANGAR FOR DEP. CREW BOARDED ACFT IN HANGAR TO BE TOWED FOR DEP. CREW REMAINED IN ACFT DURING TOW AND SUBSEQUENT FUELING. TOWBAR DISCONNECTED BY MAINT PERSONNEL, BUT FAILED TO REMOVE GEAR PIN. CREW FAILED TO NOTICE LACK OF GEAR PIN ON BOARD (PIN NORMALLY STOWED IN AFT PORTION OF ACFT AND NOT AN INSPECTION CHKLIST ITEM). SAME PERSONNEL FLAGGED BOTH ENG STARTS AND MARSHALLED ACFT TO TAXI.

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.