FLC OF AN MDT ACR ACFT MISSED UNLOCKING THE NOSE GEAR DURING PREFLT RESULTING IN A RETURN TO LAND AFTER THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. ALSO; THE ACFT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY OPERATED WHEN THE ACFT LOG DID NOT SHOW A 'RELEASE TO SVC.'

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ON JUL/MON/93 AT APPROX XX50; I WAS CALLED TO OVER MY RADIO THAT (FLT NUMBER) WHO JUST TOOK OFF; WAS RETURNING WITH NOSE GEAR PROBS. AS I WATCHED THE PLANE LAND AND TAXI TO THE GATE; I DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL. AT THIS POINT; I BOARDED THE PLANE WITH PAX STILL ON ; TO ASK THE PLT FOR INFO ON THE PROB. THE PLT SAID THAT UPON TKOF; HE COULD NOT GET THE NOSE GEAR TO RETRACT. SO I THEN WENT OUT TO INSPECT THE NOSE GEAR AND FOUND THAT THE NOSE GEAR GND LOCK HANDLE WAS ENGAGED. KNOWING THAT THIS WAS THE PROB I RUSHED BACK TO THE COCKPIT (AFTER STOWING HANDLE) AND INFORMED THE PLT OF THE SIT. THE PLT MADE A COMMENT THAT THIS WAS TWICE IN ABOUT A MONTH. IN TRYING TO HELP THE PLT FROM GETTING INTO TROUBLE; I GAVE THE PLT THE OPTION OF CALLING IT LIKE IT IS OR INSPECTION AND LUBE AND RELEASING ACFT FOR TEST FLT. SO THE PLT/FO AND MYSELF AGREED TO ME SIGNING OFF INSPECTION; LUBED; CYCLED NOSE GEAR GND LOCK; AND RELEASED (ACFT) FOR TEST FLT. AFTER REMOVING PAX QUICKLY FROM THE PLANE TO QUICKEN OUR TIME; THE CREW AND I TOOK IT UP FOR ONCE AROUND THE FIELD; SWINGING THE GEAR TWICE WITH NO PROBS INDICATED. SO; UPON LNDG I EXITED THE PLANE IMMEDIATELY SO AS THEY COULD BOARD THE PLANE. BUT; WHAT I FORGOT TO DO IN MY HASTE WAS TO SIGN OFF THE AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE OF THE ACFT; AND AS I FOUND OUT LATER; NO PLT NOTICED IT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MORNING; WHICH; AS PER OUR MP AND P MANUAL THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO EVERY FLT. THERE ARE SEVERAL PROBS HERE: FROM NOW ON; NO MATTER HOW MUCH OF A DELAY I TAKE; I MUST ENSURE PAPERWORK IS COMPLETED FULLY AND NOT TO RUSH! THE NOSE GEAR GND LOCK ON THE MDT; EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE PAINTED YELLOW AND BLACK (WHICH IS A DULL YELLOW AND BLACK); IS SOMETIMES HARD TO SEE IN PRE-DAWN OR POST- DAWN HRS. I'VE SUGGESTED RED FLAGS OR A LIGHT IN COCKPIT. I'VE EVEN MADE THE FLAGS UP FOR OUR FLEET; BUT AS I WRITE THIS I KNOW THAT NOT ALL THE ACFT HAVE THEM. THE MAINT MECH'S ON RON'S JUST DO NOT CARE ENOUGH TO ENSURE THEY'RE ON; OR THAT THE OLD ONE'S; WHICH ARE NASTY AND TORN; ARE PROPERLY REPLACED. BEING THAT THIS IS FOURTH PLT TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO HIM IN THE LAST 2 YRS WHILE I WAS WORKING; MAYBE THERE'S A PROB WITH THEIR PREFLT CHKS. I KNOW I WON'T COVER FOR THEM ANYMORE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 245674: UPON RETURN TO ACFT; I FOUND FO ON BOARD ACFT; APU RUNNING AND MECH GONE. I ASKED FO IF HE 'COMPLETED' WALKAROUND; AND HE ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. I HAD SEEN HIM INITIATE THE WALKAROUND WITH CHKLIST IN HAND WHEN I LEFT ACFT TO GO GET THE MECH AND PAPERWORK. WE THEN COMPLETED THE COCKPIT ORIGINATING CHKLIST; BOARDED UP PAX; WERE GIVEN THE ALL'S NORMAL SIGNAL FROM RAMP MARSHALLER (MAINLINE EMPLOYEE) AND SALUTED OFF ON SCHEDULE. UPON LNDG; MECH FOUND NOSE GEAR MANUALLY LOCKED DOWN. THERE ARE NO FLAGS ON THE MANUAL NOSE GEAR LOCK HANDLE. THE PAX WERE DEPLANED; THE LOCK WAS RELEASED; AND THE ACFT WAS RELEASED FOR A TEST FLT. THE TEST FLT WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH SATISFACTORY GEAR OP. PAX WERE RE- BOARDED AND FLT RESUMED 55 MINS LATE. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH FO; WHO COULDN'T BELIEVE THIS HAD HAPPENED; HE COMMENTED THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN MAINT LEAVE THE LOCK DOWN (ENGAGED); AS IT APPARENTLY WAS THIS MORNING. IN REVIEWING EVENTS HE SAID; JUST AS HE WAS AT THE R FRONT SIDE OF ACFT (THE MANUAL LOCK IS LOW ON THE L SIDE); THE MECH HAD CALLED TO HIM TO GO TRY TO START THE APU. HE BROKE HIS WALKAROUND AND WENT TO THE COCKPIT TO START THE APU; WHICH STARTED. WHEN HE RESUMED HIS EXTERIOR PREFLT; HE DID NOT GO BACK TO THE NOSE OF THE ACFT -- HE RESUMED AT THE L WING LEADING EDGE; MISSING THE MANUAL LOCK BEING ENGAGED. FROM NOW ON; THIS 15 YR CAPT WILL ALSO DO AN ORIGINATING PREFLT EXTERIOR WALKAROUND TO BACK UP THE FO. ADDITIONALLY; ACFT FLEW IN REVENUE SVC WITHOUT BEING RELEASED BY MAINT ON LOGBOOK AFTER SATISFACTORY TEST FLT WITH MECH ONBOARD.