Narrative:

We had pushed back at cmh, and requested to deice prior. Only 3 people were doing the job, which I believe was the factor which caused the incident. During pushback and the following deice procedure, I was performing both engine starts, and then keeping an eye on the deice truck. It was during this time the captain received what he thought was the sign that the nose gear pin had been removed. He called for the next appropriate checklist and we proceeded. After liftoff, however, we received a 'nose gear door open' and 'gear disagreement' warnings. It was the captain's feeling then that the nose gear pin had in fact not been removed. We completed the appropriate checklist, informed ATC of our intent to return for landing, and did so. At the gate, I immediately exited the aircraft, and on postflt inspection saw the nose gear pin in place. I asked the ground crew if they had just placed it there, and he replied 'no, they had never removed it in the first place.' my opinion is that confusion among the ramp personnel led to this incident. Too few people doing too many tasks, and lack of adequate communication with the aircraft crew were the primary factors. Supplemental information from acn 495846: at the completion of the pushback, the towbar was disconnected by a ramp agent, who then turned his back to me and climbed into the bucket of the deice truck. (There was no direct radio contact available from us in the cockpit to the deice crew.)

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER PUSHBACK AND DEICING, AN ACR DEPARTS WITHOUT THE NOSE GEAR PIN REMOVED.

Narrative: WE HAD PUSHED BACK AT CMH, AND REQUESTED TO DEICE PRIOR. ONLY 3 PEOPLE WERE DOING THE JOB, WHICH I BELIEVE WAS THE FACTOR WHICH CAUSED THE INCIDENT. DURING PUSHBACK AND THE FOLLOWING DEICE PROC, I WAS PERFORMING BOTH ENG STARTS, AND THEN KEEPING AN EYE ON THE DEICE TRUCK. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THE CAPT RECEIVED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE SIGN THAT THE NOSE GEAR PIN HAD BEEN REMOVED. HE CALLED FOR THE NEXT APPROPRIATE CHKLIST AND WE PROCEEDED. AFTER LIFTOFF, HOWEVER, WE RECEIVED A 'NOSE GEAR DOOR OPEN' AND 'GEAR DISAGREEMENT' WARNINGS. IT WAS THE CAPT'S FEELING THEN THAT THE NOSE GEAR PIN HAD IN FACT NOT BEEN REMOVED. WE COMPLETED THE APPROPRIATE CHKLIST, INFORMED ATC OF OUR INTENT TO RETURN FOR LNDG, AND DID SO. AT THE GATE, I IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE ACFT, AND ON POSTFLT INSPECTION SAW THE NOSE GEAR PIN IN PLACE. I ASKED THE GND CREW IF THEY HAD JUST PLACED IT THERE, AND HE REPLIED 'NO, THEY HAD NEVER REMOVED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.' MY OPINION IS THAT CONFUSION AMONG THE RAMP PERSONNEL LED TO THIS INCIDENT. TOO FEW PEOPLE DOING TOO MANY TASKS, AND LACK OF ADEQUATE COM WITH THE ACFT CREW WERE THE PRIMARY FACTORS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 495846: AT THE COMPLETION OF THE PUSHBACK, THE TOWBAR WAS DISCONNECTED BY A RAMP AGENT, WHO THEN TURNED HIS BACK TO ME AND CLBED INTO THE BUCKET OF THE DEICE TRUCK. (THERE WAS NO DIRECT RADIO CONTACT AVAILABLE FROM US IN THE COCKPIT TO THE DEICE CREW.)

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.