A B727-200 was dispatched in non compliance with the nose landing gear doors unlocked and hanging open. Fuel dumped and returned to the field.

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Attributes
ACN	431654
Time
Date	199903
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
ASRS Report	431654
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : lndg gear door warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On the morning of mar/xa/99 aircraft xyz was scheduled for service check. As part of check, aircraft hydraulics were pressurized and a visual inspection needed to be performed. I noticed #1 hydraulic system was low, so I svced system and began checking wheel wells which required opening gear doors. After inspection, I closed main landing gear doors, and was called over to check on a contract aircraft. After returning to aircraft, I had to check on the fuel release which was late and had to address some cabin discrepancies, and then placard a lavatory inoperative. In the rush of getting the plane ready to leave, I forgot to resecure the nose landing gear forward gear doors or to see if the other mechanic had secured them. After pushback, someone noticed the gear doors down, but we were unable to contact the flight crew prior to takeoff (they switched to tower frequency). Aircraft took off, felt vibration and dumped fuel to return to guam. We inspected nose landing gear door and wheel well, which checked all right. Aircraft refueled and departed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE NOSE LNDG GEAR DOORS UNLOCKED AND HANGING OPEN. FUEL DUMPED AND RETURNED TO THE FIELD.

Narrative: ON THE MORNING OF MAR/XA/99 ACFT XYZ WAS SCHEDULED FOR SVC CHK. AS PART OF CHK, ACFT HYDS WERE PRESSURIZED AND A VISUAL INSPECTION NEEDED TO BE PERFORMED. I NOTICED #1 HYD SYS WAS LOW, SO I SVCED SYS AND BEGAN CHKING WHEEL WELLS WHICH REQUIRED OPENING GEAR DOORS. AFTER INSPECTION, I CLOSED MAIN LNDG GEAR DOORS, AND WAS CALLED OVER TO CHK ON A CONTRACT ACFT. AFTER RETURNING TO ACFT, I HAD TO CHK ON THE FUEL RELEASE WHICH WAS LATE AND HAD TO ADDRESS SOME CABIN DISCREPANCIES, AND THEN PLACARD A LAVATORY INOP. IN THE RUSH OF GETTING THE PLANE READY TO LEAVE, I FORGOT TO RESECURE THE NOSE LNDG GEAR FORWARD GEAR DOORS OR TO SEE IF THE OTHER MECH HAD SECURED THEM. AFTER PUSHBACK, SOMEONE NOTICED THE GEAR DOORS DOWN, BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT THE FLC PRIOR TO TKOF (THEY SWITCHED TO TWR FREQ). ACFT TOOK OFF, FELT VIBRATION AND DUMPED FUEL TO RETURN TO GUAM. WE INSPECTED NOSE LNDG GEAR DOOR AND WHEEL WELL, WHICH CHKED ALL RIGHT. ACFT REFUELED AND DEPARTED.

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.