Narrative:

Pushback, taxi and takeoff were normal. After takeoff upon gear retraction, the nose gear would not retract. This was confirmed by multiple warnings and cautions on the EICAS. After following the appropriate checklists we elected to return to ZZZ. As a safety precaution we did a fly-by to check visually the status of the gear. Tower confirmed what our instruments told us, that we had 3 down and locked. After burning off some fuel to put us below maximum landing weight, we did a visual approach and landing. Touchdown was normal, however, as the aircraft slowed, a strong vibration was felt from the nose gear and steering was unavailable. We slowed gently and kept the aircraft on the runway. We shut down the engines and decided to have the aircraft towed to the gate. Not wanting the aircraft to collapse with passenger on board if the nose gear was damaged, we deplaned before we were towed. The aircraft was then towed to a parking spot without incident. It appears that the torque links were not properly connected after pushback and came loose after takeoff. Luckily no one was hurt and the only damage to the aircraft was on the nose tire.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CANADAIR CL-65 AFTER TKOF AT 1000 FT DIVERTED DUE TO INABILITY TO RETRACT THE NOSE LNDG GEAR. FOUND NOSE GEAR TORQUE LINKS NOT CONNECTED.

Narrative: PUSHBACK, TAXI AND TKOF WERE NORMAL. AFTER TKOF UPON GEAR RETRACTION, THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. THIS WAS CONFIRMED BY MULTIPLE WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS ON THE EICAS. AFTER FOLLOWING THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS WE ELECTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ. AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION WE DID A FLY-BY TO CHK VISUALLY THE STATUS OF THE GEAR. TWR CONFIRMED WHAT OUR INSTRUMENTS TOLD US, THAT WE HAD 3 DOWN AND LOCKED. AFTER BURNING OFF SOME FUEL TO PUT US BELOW MAX LNDG WT, WE DID A VISUAL APCH AND LNDG. TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL, HOWEVER, AS THE ACFT SLOWED, A STRONG VIBRATION WAS FELT FROM THE NOSE GEAR AND STEERING WAS UNAVAILABLE. WE SLOWED GENTLY AND KEPT THE ACFT ON THE RWY. WE SHUT DOWN THE ENGS AND DECIDED TO HAVE THE ACFT TOWED TO THE GATE. NOT WANTING THE ACFT TO COLLAPSE WITH PAX ON BOARD IF THE NOSE GEAR WAS DAMAGED, WE DEPLANED BEFORE WE WERE TOWED. THE ACFT WAS THEN TOWED TO A PARKING SPOT WITHOUT INCIDENT. IT APPEARS THAT THE TORQUE LINKS WERE NOT PROPERLY CONNECTED AFTER PUSHBACK AND CAME LOOSE AFTER TKOF. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT AND THE ONLY DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS ON THE NOSE TIRE.

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.