B727 departs with 3 gear pins installed.

Attributes
ACN	459850
Time
Date	200001
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 280
ASRS Report	459850
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : unqualified personnel performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I was scheduled to fly msp-dfw. This was not the original aircraft scheduled to fly this route. I don't know if the original aircraft was late or the reason for the swap. When I got to the aircraft to start a preflight, there were mechanics working all around the aircraft. I did a normal preflight which takes me about 10-15 mins. My preflight takes me to the nose and then to the nose gear. The nose gear is slightly difficult to see, but I make it a point to get in a position behind the gear to see up and back in the gear compartment. After checking to forward right side of the aircraft, I move down the leading edge of the right wing to the aft edge to the aft of the main gear. Moving counterclockwise around the gear to the APU well and looking at the 'apple' position. I then look at the retraction arm that would hold the gear pin. I saw no pin. I physically have to duck to go beneath the retraction arm so I don't hit my head. After completing the aft section of the aircraft, I'm at the left main and I approach the gear the same as before, only in reverse order, ducking under the retraction arm and going to the APU well 'apple,' and so forth. Again, I saw no gear pins. After the exterior preflight and getting back to the cockpit, maintenance is still working on the aircraft. The aircraft logbook had written up that the gear pins were installed and removed. After our return landing at msp, the maintenance personnel removed the pins and came into the cockpit and looked somewhat embarrassed by the entire ordeal. I don't remember if he made a log entry or not. We refueled and received a new release, and were on our way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 DEPARTS WITH 3 GEAR PINS INSTALLED.

Narrative: I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY MSP-DFW. THIS WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL ACFT SCHEDULED TO FLY THIS RTE. I DON'T KNOW IF THE ORIGINAL ACFT WAS LATE OR THE REASON FOR THE SWAP. WHEN I GOT TO THE ACFT TO START A PREFLT, THERE WERE MECHS WORKING ALL AROUND THE ACFT. I DID A NORMAL PREFLT WHICH TAKES ME ABOUT 10-15 MINS. MY PREFLT TAKES ME TO THE NOSE AND THEN TO THE NOSE GEAR. THE NOSE GEAR IS SLIGHTLY DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT I MAKE IT A POINT TO GET IN A POS BEHIND THE GEAR TO SEE UP AND BACK IN THE GEAR COMPARTMENT. AFTER CHKING TO FORWARD R SIDE OF THE ACFT, I MOVE DOWN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE R WING TO THE AFT EDGE TO THE AFT OF THE MAIN GEAR. MOVING COUNTERCLOCKWISE AROUND THE GEAR TO THE APU WELL AND LOOKING AT THE 'APPLE' POS. I THEN LOOK AT THE RETRACTION ARM THAT WOULD HOLD THE GEAR PIN. I SAW NO PIN. I PHYSICALLY HAVE TO DUCK TO GO BENEATH THE RETRACTION ARM SO I DON'T HIT MY HEAD. AFTER COMPLETING THE AFT SECTION OF THE ACFT, I'M AT THE L MAIN AND I APCH THE GEAR THE SAME AS BEFORE, ONLY IN REVERSE ORDER, DUCKING UNDER THE RETRACTION ARM AND GOING TO THE APU WELL 'APPLE,' AND SO FORTH. AGAIN, I SAW NO GEAR PINS. AFTER THE EXTERIOR PREFLT AND GETTING BACK TO THE COCKPIT, MAINT IS STILL WORKING ON THE ACFT. THE ACFT LOGBOOK HAD WRITTEN UP THAT THE GEAR PINS WERE INSTALLED AND REMOVED. AFTER OUR RETURN LNDG AT MSP, THE MAINT PERSONNEL REMOVED THE PINS AND CAME INTO THE COCKPIT AND LOOKED SOMEWHAT EMBARRASSED BY THE ENTIRE ORDEAL. I DON'T REMEMBER IF HE MADE A LOG ENTRY OR NOT. WE REFUELED AND RECEIVED A NEW RELEASE, AND WERE 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.