Narrative:

As is my normal procedure; I did a thorough and satisfactory preflight on the airplane I was assigned to fly. After completing the preflight; I went to get my flight crew. When I returned about 10 mins later; I saw that the maintenance personnel had used a tug to reposition my airplane into the hangar. Seeing that I needed my airplane; they used the tug to reposition the airplane into its original parking area. The mechanic removed the tug and gave me a 'go ahead' signal. I quickly looked at the front nose gear area and saw nothing amiss. Maintenance also informed me that no work was done on the airplane. We boarded the airplane; taxied; and took off. Once airborne; we heard a banging sound from the nose area. Looking at the gear mirror (on the cowling); I saw that a pair of chocks was hanging on the pitot tube. Apparently the mechanic placed the chocks there when he put the tug on the nose gear. He forgot to remove the chocks when he took the tug off the nose gear. We returned for an uneventful landing. Next time; I will not take a mechanic at his word when he gives the 'all clear' signal. Instead; I will doublechk the area; and perhaps do a whole new preflight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUBSEQUENT TO CAPT'S PREFLT; C414 WAS REPOSITIONED BY A MECH. FLT CREW TOOK OFF WITH CHOCKS HANGING ON PITOT TUBE.

Narrative: AS IS MY NORMAL PROC; I DID A THOROUGH AND SATISFACTORY PREFLT ON THE AIRPLANE I WAS ASSIGNED TO FLY. AFTER COMPLETING THE PREFLT; I WENT TO GET MY FLT CREW. WHEN I RETURNED ABOUT 10 MINS LATER; I SAW THAT THE MAINT PERSONNEL HAD USED A TUG TO REPOSITION MY AIRPLANE INTO THE HANGAR. SEEING THAT I NEEDED MY AIRPLANE; THEY USED THE TUG TO REPOSITION THE AIRPLANE INTO ITS ORIGINAL PARKING AREA. THE MECH REMOVED THE TUG AND GAVE ME A 'GO AHEAD' SIGNAL. I QUICKLY LOOKED AT THE FRONT NOSE GEAR AREA AND SAW NOTHING AMISS. MAINT ALSO INFORMED ME THAT NO WORK WAS DONE ON THE AIRPLANE. WE BOARDED THE AIRPLANE; TAXIED; AND TOOK OFF. ONCE AIRBORNE; WE HEARD A BANGING SOUND FROM THE NOSE AREA. LOOKING AT THE GEAR MIRROR (ON THE COWLING); I SAW THAT A PAIR OF CHOCKS WAS HANGING ON THE PITOT TUBE. APPARENTLY THE MECH PLACED THE CHOCKS THERE WHEN HE PUT THE TUG ON THE NOSE GEAR. HE FORGOT TO REMOVE THE CHOCKS WHEN HE TOOK THE TUG OFF THE NOSE GEAR. WE RETURNED FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. NEXT TIME; I WILL NOT TAKE A MECH AT HIS WORD WHEN HE GIVES THE 'ALL CLR' SIGNAL. INSTEAD; I WILL DOUBLECHK THE AREA; AND PERHAPS DO A WHOLE NEW PREFLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.