An air carrier ground crew forgot to remove the nose steering lockout pin, allegedly.

Attributes
ACN	263033
Time
Date	199402
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	263033
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Ramp agent disconnected headset and walked away to right. Guide man, with lighted wands, waved out to left. Taxi out with no problem and normal nosewheel steering. At base of tower, ground control and company told us to stop. ATC and company told us the nosewheel steering bypass pin was installed. I laughed because how could I steer the aircraft with the nose gear steering bypass pin installed? 2 men showed up and disconnected a gear pin. I noticed the other ground agent plugged in his headset. I explained, on the record, we followed all procedures and was told I did not. I further informed this man I was to make a captain's irregularity report and inform the pilot union. The man said 'you get the f--- ing union.' he disconnected and the 2 men drove away. (I suspect the pin was installed incorrectly by the ramp agent's lack of training.)

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR GND CREW FORGOT TO REMOVE THE NOSE STEERING LOCKOUT PIN, ALLEGEDLY.

Narrative: RAMP AGENT DISCONNECTED HEADSET AND WALKED AWAY TO R. GUIDE MAN, WITH LIGHTED WANDS, WAVED OUT TO L. TAXI OUT WITH NO PROB AND NORMAL NOSEWHEEL STEERING. AT BASE OF TWR, GND CTL AND COMPANY TOLD US TO STOP. ATC AND COMPANY TOLD US THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING BYPASS PIN WAS INSTALLED. I LAUGHED BECAUSE HOW COULD I STEER THE ACFT WITH THE NOSE GEAR STEERING BYPASS PIN INSTALLED? 2 MEN SHOWED UP AND DISCONNECTED A GEAR PIN. I NOTICED THE OTHER GND AGENT PLUGGED IN HIS HEADSET. I EXPLAINED, ON THE RECORD, WE FOLLOWED ALL PROCS AND WAS TOLD I DID NOT. I FURTHER INFORMED THIS MAN I WAS TO MAKE A CAPT'S IRREGULARITY RPT AND INFORM THE PLT UNION. THE MAN SAID 'YOU GET THE F--- ING UNION.' HE DISCONNECTED AND THE 2 MEN DROVE AWAY. (I SUSPECT THE PIN WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY BY THE RAMP AGENT'S LACK OF TRAINING.)

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.