Narrative:

Nose wheel failed to retract. Extended gear and returned for landing. Problem was determined to be nose wheel down-lock pin still in place. The way this system works is that there is a handle on exterior nose of aircraft that mechanically sets or removes nose down-lock pin. The handle sticks out about 2' when the gear is pinned in the down-lock position. To release the pin the handle must be turned and pressed in. This procedure must be done very carefully as the handle is spring-loaded and will spring back out if it isn't seated properly. In this particular situation, the first officer preflted the aircraft and felt the handle was secured. It must be noted that he was recently hired and had only actually operated the nose gear down-lock pin once. He had been shown the system in training, but this function is generally handled by maintenance personnel. To preclude future occurrences, I would suggest the following: originating checklist - gear down lock pins, and nose handle - checked and stowed, rather than 'gear down lock pins.' a cockpit caution light could easily be incorporated on the central warning panel. Increased emphasis and hands-on practice during training phase.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT RETURNS FOR LNDG DUE NON-RETRACTION OF NOSE WHEEL. PROBLEM FOUND TO BE FLT CREW FAILURE TO RETRACT NOSE GEAR LOCKING PIN.

Narrative: NOSE WHEEL FAILED TO RETRACT. EXTENDED GEAR AND RETURNED FOR LNDG. PROB WAS DETERMINED TO BE NOSE WHEEL DOWN-LOCK PIN STILL IN PLACE. THE WAY THIS SYS WORKS IS THAT THERE IS A HANDLE ON EXTERIOR NOSE OF ACFT THAT MECHANICALLY SETS OR REMOVES NOSE DOWN-LOCK PIN. THE HANDLE STICKS OUT ABOUT 2' WHEN THE GEAR IS PINNED IN THE DOWN-LOCK POS. TO RELEASE THE PIN THE HANDLE MUST BE TURNED AND PRESSED IN. THIS PROC MUST BE DONE VERY CAREFULLY AS THE HANDLE IS SPRING-LOADED AND WILL SPRING BACK OUT IF IT ISN'T SEATED PROPERLY. IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, THE F/O PREFLTED THE ACFT AND FELT THE HANDLE WAS SECURED. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT HE WAS RECENTLY HIRED AND HAD ONLY ACTUALLY OPERATED THE NOSE GEAR DOWN-LOCK PIN ONCE. HE HAD BEEN SHOWN THE SYS IN TRNING, BUT THIS FUNCTION IS GENERALLY HANDLED BY MAINT PERSONNEL. TO PRECLUDE FUTURE OCCURRENCES, I WOULD SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING: ORIGINATING CHKLIST - GEAR DOWN LOCK PINS, AND NOSE HANDLE - CHKED AND STOWED, RATHER THAN 'GEAR DOWN LOCK PINS.' A COCKPIT CAUTION LIGHT COULD EASILY BE INCORPORATED ON THE CENTRAL WARNING PANEL. INCREASED EMPHASIS AND HANDS-ON PRACTICE DURING TRNING PHASE.

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.