Narrative:

Arriving at the aircraft there were 3 a&P mechanics and a lead mechanic already assigned to this airplane. Unknown to me, I was the only mechanic qualified on this carrier's B777, but was not the lead mechanic. All others were ETOPS qualified on other boeing aircraft and 1 was B777 qualified on another carrier's aircraft. The tire change procedure calls for installation of the landing gear lock pins and I instructed a mechanic to install them, which he did. Landing gear pins are standard large diameter pins with a long red streamer. Wheel changed, I asked the same mechanic to remove the lock pins and to stow them in the electronics compartment where a stowage box with a clip for each pin is provided. What I did not know was that another mechanic helped him and neither one removed the nose gear pin. I then asked the same mechanic who installed the pins if they were removed, he said 'there were' and I did not question him further. Both mechanics are very familiar with boeing aircraft. The B777 landing gear confign is similar to the B767 which has 4 main gear pins and a nose pin. I returned to the cockpit and completed the ETOPS check and signed the paperwork and logbook. The flight crew (2 capts) on their walkaround did not detect the pin and streamer, nor did the pushback crew (ramp personnel). The B777 took off and the nose gear would not retract. The flight returned to the airport and it was discovered that the nose gear pin was still installed. After the removal of the pin and refueling the flight resumed. I also find it appalling and unnecessary that lock pins need to be installed for a tire change during the environment of a line maintenance turnaround, not being the normal procedure for united states carriers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 AFTER TKOF RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO UNABLE TO RETRACT THE NOSE LNDG GEAR CAUSED BY A GEAR LOCK PIN INSTALLED.

Narrative: ARRIVING AT THE ACFT THERE WERE 3 A&P MECHS AND A LEAD MECH ALREADY ASSIGNED TO THIS AIRPLANE. UNKNOWN TO ME, I WAS THE ONLY MECH QUALIFIED ON THIS CARRIER'S B777, BUT WAS NOT THE LEAD MECH. ALL OTHERS WERE ETOPS QUALIFIED ON OTHER BOEING ACFT AND 1 WAS B777 QUALIFIED ON ANOTHER CARRIER'S ACFT. THE TIRE CHANGE PROC CALLS FOR INSTALLATION OF THE LNDG GEAR LOCK PINS AND I INSTRUCTED A MECH TO INSTALL THEM, WHICH HE DID. LNDG GEAR PINS ARE STANDARD LARGE DIAMETER PINS WITH A LONG RED STREAMER. WHEEL CHANGED, I ASKED THE SAME MECH TO REMOVE THE LOCK PINS AND TO STOW THEM IN THE ELECTRONICS COMPARTMENT WHERE A STOWAGE BOX WITH A CLIP FOR EACH PIN IS PROVIDED. WHAT I DID NOT KNOW WAS THAT ANOTHER MECH HELPED HIM AND NEITHER ONE REMOVED THE NOSE GEAR PIN. I THEN ASKED THE SAME MECH WHO INSTALLED THE PINS IF THEY WERE REMOVED, HE SAID 'THERE WERE' AND I DID NOT QUESTION HIM FURTHER. BOTH MECHS ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH BOEING ACFT. THE B777 LNDG GEAR CONFIGN IS SIMILAR TO THE B767 WHICH HAS 4 MAIN GEAR PINS AND A NOSE PIN. I RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT AND COMPLETED THE ETOPS CHK AND SIGNED THE PAPERWORK AND LOGBOOK. THE FLC (2 CAPTS) ON THEIR WALKAROUND DID NOT DETECT THE PIN AND STREAMER, NOR DID THE PUSHBACK CREW (RAMP PERSONNEL). THE B777 TOOK OFF AND THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE FLT RETURNED TO THE ARPT AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE NOSE GEAR PIN WAS STILL INSTALLED. AFTER THE REMOVAL OF THE PIN AND REFUELING THE FLT RESUMED. I ALSO FIND IT APPALLING AND UNNECESSARY THAT LOCK PINS NEED TO BE INSTALLED FOR A TIRE CHANGE DURING THE ENVIRONMENT OF A LINE MAINT TURNAROUND, NOT BEING THE NORMAL PROC FOR UNITED STATES CARRIERS.

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.