Narrative:

After being towed out of hangar at evv, during preflight, first officer removed nose gear pin (with flag attached) and checked for pins in the mains, finding none. In preparation to run checklist, gear pins were discussed and I was informed he had removed the nose gear pin (which I had seen in his hand, and assumed that other 2 were with it), and the mains were already out, and that he had checked each one twice, even 'stuck (his) finger in the hole.' upon gear retraction, the mains would not come up. We stayed in the pattern and returned VFR, landed, and upon inspection, found gear pins in place, with no flags. Upon discussing how this could happen, the first officer revealed that in his 2 yrs on-line, this was the first time he had ever actually seen gear pins in place in an light transport, and had always been under the impression that they went in the hole in another part of the linkage, which was what he physically checked twice! Gear pins are very seldom encountered by an light transport line crew with this company. Due to maintenance procedures, and never putting them in on a normal overnight, it is not uncommon for a crew to go literally yrs west/O encountering them. The small size, absence of any 'caution' color, no flag and the placement high on the wheel well make it blend in with the rest of the linkage, and very easy to overlook, especially to someone who has never seen one. I suggest flags on all pins, and more thorough training for first officer's in non-routine situations such as this. When a 2 yr veteran first officer reports that he checked and rechked something this closely, a captain should not have to doubt his word.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER TURNS BACK WHEN MAIN GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. PINS HAD BEEN LEFT IN.

Narrative: AFTER BEING TOWED OUT OF HANGAR AT EVV, DURING PREFLT, F/O REMOVED NOSE GEAR PIN (WITH FLAG ATTACHED) AND CHKED FOR PINS IN THE MAINS, FINDING NONE. IN PREPARATION TO RUN CHKLIST, GEAR PINS WERE DISCUSSED AND I WAS INFORMED HE HAD REMOVED THE NOSE GEAR PIN (WHICH I HAD SEEN IN HIS HAND, AND ASSUMED THAT OTHER 2 WERE WITH IT), AND THE MAINS WERE ALREADY OUT, AND THAT HE HAD CHKED EACH ONE TWICE, EVEN 'STUCK (HIS) FINGER IN THE HOLE.' UPON GEAR RETRACTION, THE MAINS WOULD NOT COME UP. WE STAYED IN THE PATTERN AND RETURNED VFR, LANDED, AND UPON INSPECTION, FOUND GEAR PINS IN PLACE, WITH NO FLAGS. UPON DISCUSSING HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN, THE F/O REVEALED THAT IN HIS 2 YRS ON-LINE, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME HE HAD EVER ACTUALLY SEEN GEAR PINS IN PLACE IN AN LTT, AND HAD ALWAYS BEEN UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WENT IN THE HOLE IN ANOTHER PART OF THE LINKAGE, WHICH WAS WHAT HE PHYSICALLY CHKED TWICE! GEAR PINS ARE VERY SELDOM ENCOUNTERED BY AN LTT LINE CREW WITH THIS COMPANY. DUE TO MAINT PROCS, AND NEVER PUTTING THEM IN ON A NORMAL OVERNIGHT, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR A CREW TO GO LITERALLY YRS W/O ENCOUNTERING THEM. THE SMALL SIZE, ABSENCE OF ANY 'CAUTION' COLOR, NO FLAG AND THE PLACEMENT HIGH ON THE WHEEL WELL MAKE IT BLEND IN WITH THE REST OF THE LINKAGE, AND VERY EASY TO OVERLOOK, ESPECIALLY TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER SEEN ONE. I SUGGEST FLAGS ON ALL PINS, AND MORE THOROUGH TRNING FOR F/O'S IN NON-ROUTINE SITUATIONS SUCH AS THIS. WHEN A 2 YR VETERAN F/O RPTS THAT HE CHKED AND RECHKED SOMETHING THIS CLOSELY, A CAPT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DOUBT HIS WORD.

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.