Return land with nose gear down lock pin still inserted.

Attributes
ACN	254896
Time
Date	199310
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	254896
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Upon arriving at our aircraft I promptly did my exterior walkaround and then entered the cockpit. I then performed my interior safety check and preflight duties. We taxied out and departed runway 16L at sea-tac airport. Upon retracting the gear we noticed the nose gear remained extended. After going through the checklist for abnormal items we returned and landed safely at sea-tac airport. Upon reaching the gate it was noted that there was a nose gear pin that had not been pulled. The flag that was attached to the nose pin was just 4 inches in length and was not visible below the gear doors. It is my opinion that we need to have large visible flags that are not mistakable. Both maintenance and pilots alike were unable to see this flag. Solution: long bright orange flags with a weight on the end.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURN LAND WITH NOSE GEAR DOWN LOCK PIN STILL INSERTED.

Narrative: UPON ARRIVING AT OUR ACFT I PROMPTLY DID MY EXTERIOR WALKAROUND AND THEN ENTERED THE COCKPIT. I THEN PERFORMED MY INTERIOR SAFETY CHK AND PREFLT DUTIES. WE TAXIED OUT AND DEPARTED RWY 16L AT SEA-TAC ARPT. UPON RETRACTING THE GEAR WE NOTICED THE NOSE GEAR REMAINED EXTENDED. AFTER GOING THROUGH THE CHKLIST FOR ABNORMAL ITEMS WE RETURNED AND LANDED SAFELY AT SEA-TAC ARPT. UPON REACHING THE GATE IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WAS A NOSE GEAR PIN THAT HAD NOT BEEN PULLED. THE FLAG THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THE NOSE PIN WAS JUST 4 INCHES IN LENGTH AND WAS NOT VISIBLE BELOW THE GEAR DOORS. IT IS MY OPINION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE LARGE VISIBLE FLAGS THAT ARE NOT MISTAKABLE. BOTH MAINT AND PLTS ALIKE WERE UNABLE TO SEE THIS FLAG. SOLUTION: LONG BRIGHT ORANGE FLAGS WITH A WT ON THE END.

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.