COMMUTER ACFT UNABLE TO RAISE NOSE GEAR AFTER TKOF. NOSE GEAR PIN NOT REMOVED.

Narrative

DURING PREFLT PREPARATION A DISCUSSION BTWN THE PLTS AND MAINT PERSONNEL DELAYED THE SCHEDULED FLT AND PUT A SENSE OF URGENCY AND TENSION ON EVERYONE INVOLVED. ALTHOUGH A NORMAL PREFLT WAS CONDUCTED AND NO ITEMS WERE LEFT OUT; A GEAR PIN PLACED IN THE NOSE GEAR WAS NOT DETECTED. THE FLT CONTINUED AND SHORTLY AFTER TKOF THE GEAR HANDLE WAS SELECTED 'UP.' THE MAIN GEAR RETRACTED NORMALLY; HOWEVER THE NOSE GEAR REMAINED 'DOWN AND GREEN.' A RADIO DISCUSSION WITH MAINT AND WITH THE CTL TWR VERIFIED THE INDICATIONS. ALTHOUGH THE 3 MAINT PERSONNEL PRESENT WERE THE ONLY ONES ON DUTY THAT DAY (MAINT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR INSTALLING AND REMOVING THE PINS) NONE HAD A RECOLLECTION OF HAVING INSTALLED THE PIN. (THE ACFT FLEW A MORNING SHIFT THAT SAME DAY AND WAS 'IN THE HANDS OF' MAINT THE 5 HRS BTWN SHIFTS). IT WAS SUSPECTED; HOWEVER; THAT THE PIN WAS STILL IN PLACE. THE NEAREST 'LARGE' ARPT (NEARLY 90 MI) REQUESTED THE EMER EQUIP. (THIS ARPT WAS ALSO ORIGINAL DEST). THE PIN WAS INDEED INSTALLED BY MAINT; WHO FAILED TO REMOVE IT; AND THE PREFLT FAILED TO DETECT THE INSTALLED PIN. THE PIN ITSELF IS IN A VERY INCONSPICUOUS POS AND CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE AND IDENT. THEREFORE A CHAIN WITH A RED FLAG ON THE END IS TO CALL ATTN TO ITS PRESENCE. AFTER THE FLT; THE FLAG WAS NOT RED; BUT WAS A DIRTY METALLIC COLOR THAT BLENDED IN WELL WITH OTHER GEAR PARTS; THEREBY NOT LENDING ITSELF TO EASY IDENT. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE CHAIN OR FLAG WAS SNAGGED AND NOT EVEN HANGING DOWN FROM GEAR BAY TO BE SEEN.