Narrative:

In the evening we were scheduled to pick our boss up at cle. We were planning on an XD00 pm departure, but due to possible WX moving into cle, we decided to depart 45 mins early. We operate out of an uncontrolled field so after XA00 pm. We are our own line crew. I told my first officer (whom I'd flown with for 4 yrs) that, after I preflted the aircraft, to pull the aircraft outside. I preflted and wing-walked the airplane outside. I walked back out to the aircraft several minutes later, looked to see the pitot covers and rudder lock were removed. Everything was normal until 300-400'. Almost immediately the right rudder was slammed to the floor, yet the aircraft yawed to the left. I immediately ruled out engine failure, and commanded go around up. As the gear came up, the yawing seemed to lessen. Not knowing if it was a gear or control-linkage problem, I decided to climb to altitude to troubleshoot the situation. At 4000' we leveled and informed approach of our intentions. I decided to cycle the gear. I put gear down and got 3 in the green and no additional yaw in the aircraft. Discounting a gear malfunction, I put gear up. When the gear came up I heard an uncharacteristic 'thump' definitely not normal. We decided to drop the gear a second time. Mains were both in the green, but the nose gear was not down. I turned on the nose taxi light to see what I could in the reflection on the engine nacelle. I couldn't see much. Then it hit me--I asked my first officer if he disconnected the tow bar. He didn't remember. I knew the problem now. I had a tow bar trailing behind the nose gear keeping it from locking into place. We tried an hour of airwork to no avail. I decided to alert emergency crews at akron-canton airport and prepare for an emergency landing. I kept the nose up until around 60 KIAS. Minimal damage was incurred to the aircraft (was able to secure the engines prior to T/D). I suffered some back injuries. I suppose the most valuable lesson to be learned from this incident, is don't trust anyone but yourself. Although I did a careful preflight, my first officer was negligent in performing his duty, and it went unnoticed to me. I obviously am responsible for my copilot's actions, so I took the heat. If you're not sure if something is done, don't take it for granted, check yourself. In my case we discovered our problem just a little too late.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR SMT TAXIED AND MADE TKOF WITH TOW BAR ATTACHED TO NOSE WHEEL.

Narrative: IN THE EVENING WE WERE SCHEDULED TO PICK OUR BOSS UP AT CLE. WE WERE PLANNING ON AN XD00 PM DEP, BUT DUE TO POSSIBLE WX MOVING INTO CLE, WE DECIDED TO DEPART 45 MINS EARLY. WE OPERATE OUT OF AN UNCONTROLLED FIELD SO AFTER XA00 PM. WE ARE OUR OWN LINE CREW. I TOLD MY F/O (WHOM I'D FLOWN WITH FOR 4 YRS) THAT, AFTER I PREFLTED THE ACFT, TO PULL THE ACFT OUTSIDE. I PREFLTED AND WING-WALKED THE AIRPLANE OUTSIDE. I WALKED BACK OUT TO THE ACFT SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, LOOKED TO SEE THE PITOT COVERS AND RUDDER LOCK WERE REMOVED. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL UNTIL 300-400'. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE RIGHT RUDDER WAS SLAMMED TO THE FLOOR, YET THE ACFT YAWED TO THE LEFT. I IMMEDIATELY RULED OUT ENG FAILURE, AND COMMANDED GAR UP. AS THE GEAR CAME UP, THE YAWING SEEMED TO LESSEN. NOT KNOWING IF IT WAS A GEAR OR CONTROL-LINKAGE PROB, I DECIDED TO CLB TO ALT TO TROUBLESHOOT THE SITUATION. AT 4000' WE LEVELED AND INFORMED APCH OF OUR INTENTIONS. I DECIDED TO CYCLE THE GEAR. I PUT GEAR DOWN AND GOT 3 IN THE GREEN AND NO ADDITIONAL YAW IN THE ACFT. DISCOUNTING A GEAR MALFUNCTION, I PUT GEAR UP. WHEN THE GEAR CAME UP I HEARD AN UNCHARACTERISTIC 'THUMP' DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL. WE DECIDED TO DROP THE GEAR A SECOND TIME. MAINS WERE BOTH IN THE GREEN, BUT THE NOSE GEAR WAS NOT DOWN. I TURNED ON THE NOSE TAXI LIGHT TO SEE WHAT I COULD IN THE REFLECTION ON THE ENG NACELLE. I COULDN'T SEE MUCH. THEN IT HIT ME--I ASKED MY F/O IF HE DISCONNECTED THE TOW BAR. HE DIDN'T REMEMBER. I KNEW THE PROB NOW. I HAD A TOW BAR TRAILING BEHIND THE NOSE GEAR KEEPING IT FROM LOCKING INTO PLACE. WE TRIED AN HOUR OF AIRWORK TO NO AVAIL. I DECIDED TO ALERT EMER CREWS AT AKRON-CANTON ARPT AND PREPARE FOR AN EMER LNDG. I KEPT THE NOSE UP UNTIL AROUND 60 KIAS. MINIMAL DAMAGE WAS INCURRED TO THE ACFT (WAS ABLE TO SECURE THE ENGS PRIOR TO T/D). I SUFFERED SOME BACK INJURIES. I SUPPOSE THE MOST VALUABLE LESSON TO BE LEARNED FROM THIS INCIDENT, IS DON'T TRUST ANYONE BUT YOURSELF. ALTHOUGH I DID A CAREFUL PREFLT, MY F/O WAS NEGLIGENT IN PERFORMING HIS DUTY, AND IT WENT UNNOTICED TO ME. I OBVIOUSLY AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY COPLT'S ACTIONS, SO I TOOK THE HEAT. IF YOU'RE NOT SURE IF SOMETHING IS DONE, DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, CHK YOURSELF. IN MY CASE WE DISCOVERED OUR PROB JUST A LITTLE TOO LATE.

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.