Narrative:

Just before leaving home, received call from supervisor to come in that evening to repair nose landing gear strut. I could not sleep nor nap when I tried to go to sleep around XI00. At about XM30 I started to fall asleep, so instead of napping at that time, I decided to go on to work and got there about XM00. Once at work, started to train someone else. I felt tired. I had done same work before, but it had been 2-3 yrs since last performed. When I left that morning, aircraft was still on jacks and I had been awake over 25 hours. By the time I started the job, I was up for over 16 hours. To me, the problem could have been prevented if the aircraft maintenance manual would have specifically stated, had it caution, had it warning, and/or noted, that a gear operations check should have been carried out. The component/manufacturer maintenance manual should have noted a reference for it also. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the cause of the flight return was unable to retract the nose gear after takeoff. The reporter aid the strut was assembled with the nose ctring cam 180 degrees off.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EMBRAER 120 AFTER TKOF RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO UNABLE TO RETRACT THE NOSE GEAR CAUSED BY INCORRECT ASSEMBLY OF THE NOSE STRUT.

Narrative: JUST BEFORE LEAVING HOME, RECEIVED CALL FROM SUPVR TO COME IN THAT EVENING TO REPAIR NOSE LNDG GEAR STRUT. I COULD NOT SLEEP NOR NAP WHEN I TRIED TO GO TO SLEEP AROUND XI00. AT ABOUT XM30 I STARTED TO FALL ASLEEP, SO INSTEAD OF NAPPING AT THAT TIME, I DECIDED TO GO ON TO WORK AND GOT THERE ABOUT XM00. ONCE AT WORK, STARTED TO TRAIN SOMEONE ELSE. I FELT TIRED. I HAD DONE SAME WORK BEFORE, BUT IT HAD BEEN 2-3 YRS SINCE LAST PERFORMED. WHEN I LEFT THAT MORNING, ACFT WAS STILL ON JACKS AND I HAD BEEN AWAKE OVER 25 HRS. BY THE TIME I STARTED THE JOB, I WAS UP FOR OVER 16 HRS. TO ME, THE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE ACFT MAINT MANUAL WOULD HAVE SPECIFICALLY STATED, HAD IT CAUTION, HAD IT WARNING, AND/OR NOTED, THAT A GEAR OPS CHK SHOULD HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT. THE COMPONENT/MANUFACTURER MAINT MANUAL SHOULD HAVE NOTED A REF FOR IT ALSO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE FLT RETURN WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THE NOSE GEAR AFTER TKOF. THE RPTR AID THE STRUT WAS ASSEMBLED WITH THE NOSE CTRING CAM 180 DEGS OFF.

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.