Atx light transport had trouble removing nose gear pin before taxi. On next landing approach the nos...

Attributes
ACN	80356
Time
Date	198801
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fnt airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	80356
Person 2
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

I was performing my preflight checks in the cockpit to originate flight at fnt when I heard banging around the nose section of the aircraft. My first officer advised me that he was unable to remove the gear pin from the nose strut during the walkaround and that maintenance personnel were trying to remove the pin. It is my company's policy that the gear pins be installed in all overnighting aircraft. I was then advised that maintenance was unable to remove the pin and that they would return in a few mins with some 'tools.' several mins later the maintenance people returned proudly displaying a hammer! The pin was promptly removed and we departed for dtw. During approach to runway 21R at dtw, we were unable to get a positive indication of the nose gear being down and locked. A go around was executed and I performed the emergency checklist as my first officer was the PF. The landing gear was confirmed down visually by the tower and down and locked by secondary means in the cockpit. The landing was made west/O incident on runway 21L at dtw, and the gear pin was installed prior to taxi to the gate. The WX at the time of the incident was good VFR (clear and 12 mi visibility) but extremely cold temperatures (2 degrees F). The combination of bitter cold temperatures and maintenance's procedure in removing the gear pin in fnt were major factors in this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX LTT HAD TROUBLE REMOVING NOSE GEAR PIN BEFORE TAXI. ON NEXT LNDG APCH THE NOSE GEAR WARNING STAYED ON AFTER GEAR EXTENSION. GEAR WAS CONFIRMED DOWN AND LOCKED BY SECONDARY MEANS AND LNDG WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

Narrative: I WAS PERFORMING MY PREFLT CHKS IN THE COCKPIT TO ORIGINATE FLT AT FNT WHEN I HEARD BANGING AROUND THE NOSE SECTION OF THE ACFT. MY F/O ADVISED ME THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE GEAR PIN FROM THE NOSE STRUT DURING THE WALKAROUND AND THAT MAINT PERSONNEL WERE TRYING TO REMOVE THE PIN. IT IS MY COMPANY'S POLICY THAT THE GEAR PINS BE INSTALLED IN ALL OVERNIGHTING ACFT. I WAS THEN ADVISED THAT MAINT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE PIN AND THAT THEY WOULD RETURN IN A FEW MINS WITH SOME 'TOOLS.' SEVERAL MINS LATER THE MAINT PEOPLE RETURNED PROUDLY DISPLAYING A HAMMER! THE PIN WAS PROMPTLY REMOVED AND WE DEPARTED FOR DTW. DURING APCH TO RWY 21R AT DTW, WE WERE UNABLE TO GET A POSITIVE INDICATION OF THE NOSE GEAR BEING DOWN AND LOCKED. A GO AROUND WAS EXECUTED AND I PERFORMED THE EMER CHKLIST AS MY F/O WAS THE PF. THE LNDG GEAR WAS CONFIRMED DOWN VISUALLY BY THE TWR AND DOWN AND LOCKED BY SECONDARY MEANS IN THE COCKPIT. THE LNDG WAS MADE W/O INCIDENT ON RWY 21L AT DTW, AND THE GEAR PIN WAS INSTALLED PRIOR TO TAXI TO THE GATE. THE WX AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS GOOD VFR (CLR AND 12 MI VIS) BUT EXTREMELY COLD TEMPS (2 DEGS F). THE COMBINATION OF BITTER COLD TEMPS AND MAINT'S PROC IN REMOVING THE GEAR PIN IN FNT WERE MAJOR FACTORS IN THIS INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.

Atx light transport had trouble removing nose gear pin before taxi. On next landing approach the nose gear warning stayed on after gear extension. Gear was confirmed down and locked by secondary means and landing was completed without incident.