B777-200 flight crew reported one landing gear would not retract after take off. The flight crew elected to perform an air turn back and a precautionary landing at departure airport. An inspection discovered one landing gear safety pin still installed.
Synopsis
B777-200 flight crew reported one landing gear would not retract after take off. The flight crew elected to perform an air turn back and a precautionary landing at departure airport. An inspection discovered one landing gear safety pin still installed.
Narrative
After landing at ZZZ; we tail swapped into an aircraft coming out of the paint shop. We completed a preflight inspection and aircraft setup for our return to ZZZ1. After takeoff we raised the gear handle and soon after got a gear disagree EICAS message due to the left landing gear. We completed the non normal checklist for gear disagree. Then we advised ATC of the problem and contacted Dispatch. We were advised by Dispatch to return to ZZZ. We lowered the gear normally on the approach with no further issues. Once parked; maintenance inspected the left gear and found one gear pin installed with no flag attached to it. The maintenance logbook entry did say that all gear pins had been removed. The First Officer had done the walk around inspection and did not see the pin in the gear possibly due to it missing a flag attached to it. Four other maintenance personnel advised us they had also looked and didn't see the pin as well.Four local maintenance personnel inspected the aircraft. They annotated in the logbook that they had pulled all gear pins. The First Officer walked around the aircraft and did not observe the pin in the gear. It appears there may not have been a gear pin flag attached to the pin. The flag wasn't there upon return. The aircraft had been in a non Company facility for around a month for new paint. The walk around inspection following long term maintenance requires extra diligence. Additionally; during the walk around inspection instead of just looking for the gear pins; look for the empty hole where the pins would be.
Second reporter narrative
After landing at ZZZ we tail swapped into an aircraft coming out of the paint shop. We discussed the need for a through preflight; paying note to the static ports; pitot tubes etc and I as FO (first officer) conducted the exterior and supernumerary area preflight. The weather was broken clouds; daylight hours. After takeoff we raised the gear and soon received a gear disagree EICAS message due to landing gear disagree (left main). We notified ATC; leveled at 10;000 ft and maintained airspeed 250 kts. We completed the non normal checklist for gear disagree. We contacted Dispatch and they recommended we return to ZZZ. On downside for Runway XX we lowered the gear and received a normal gear down indication; landing without incident. Once parked; maintenance inspected the left main and found one gear pin installed; without a gear pin flag attached to it. The ARD (Airworthiness Release Document) indicated that Maintenance had removed and stowed all gear pins. I as FO had completed the walk around and did not see the pin still installed. Maintenance informed us that four of their maintenance team had each conducted individual walk around's and none of the four that inspected the aircraft noticed the gear pin was still installed. Four local maintenance personnel had inspected the aircraft individually. They annotated in the ARD (aircraft release) that they had pulled and stowed all the gear pins. I; as FO had walked around the aircraft and did not observe the pin still installed. It appears there may not have been a gear flag attached to the gear pin based on the fact there was no flag attached to it; making it challenging to see. The aircraft came out of a non Company facility after significant work. All walk around's require a through inspection; however out of a non company city; it's fair to say extra diligence is required. Additionally; during walk around's instead of looking for pins and or flags; it would be better to look for an empty gear pin hole instead.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.