A B737-800 was dispatched in non compliance with the nose gear pinned. Returned to the field.

Attributes
ACN	632589
Time
Date	200409
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Experience	maintenance technician : 5
ASRS Report	632589
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
Experience	maintenance technician : 15
ASRS Report	632210
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : nose gear position indication other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Maintenance Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

I was involved in an incident with air carrier X. The aircraft came in for a quick turn at approximately XA30 local with an inbound write-up for a nosewheel shimmy. It also had several other inbound write-ups in the book. We were short on manpower and on time. A fellow mechanic and I changed the nose gear tires per the maintenance manual. In our rush to get done we did not remove the nose gear pin. The logbook was placed on board the aircraft before the crew arrived. The aircraft left and then promptly returned with a write-up stating 'upon gear retraction, nose gear light illuminated and remained on.' this was a major oversight by me that should not have happened. In my 5 yrs in aviation and with the company, this is the first incident I have had of this type, and it won't happen again. In the future I will be more cautious.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE NOSE GEAR PINNED. RETURNED TO THE FIELD.

Narrative: I WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT WITH ACR X. THE ACFT CAME IN FOR A QUICK TURN AT APPROX XA30 LCL WITH AN INBOUND WRITE-UP FOR A NOSEWHEEL SHIMMY. IT ALSO HAD SEVERAL OTHER INBOUND WRITE-UPS IN THE BOOK. WE WERE SHORT ON MANPOWER AND ON TIME. A FELLOW MECH AND I CHANGED THE NOSE GEAR TIRES PER THE MAINT MANUAL. IN OUR RUSH TO GET DONE WE DID NOT REMOVE THE NOSE GEAR PIN. THE LOGBOOK WAS PLACED ON BOARD THE ACFT BEFORE THE CREW ARRIVED. THE ACFT LEFT AND THEN PROMPTLY RETURNED WITH A WRITE-UP STATING 'UPON GEAR RETRACTION, NOSE GEAR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ON.' THIS WAS A MAJOR OVERSIGHT BY ME THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. IN MY 5 YRS IN AVIATION AND WITH THE COMPANY, THIS IS THE FIRST INCIDENT I HAVE HAD OF THIS TYPE, AND IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE MORE CAUTIOUS.

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.