A DC10-30 FLC WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THE CTR GEAR AFTER TKOF. THEY CONTINUED TO THE DEST BY OBSERVING THE AIRSPD LIMITATIONS FOR GEAR EXTENDED. THE MECHS (RPTRS) CITED IMPROPER DOCUMENTATION FROM PREVIOUS SHIFT WHICH MISLED THE CREW TO BELIEVE THAT THE CTR GEAR PIN HAD BEEN REMOVED.

Narrative

ACFT DISPATCHED FROM ZZZ ON FLT TO YYY. CTR GEAR PIN LOCK WAS NOT REMOVED AND GEAR COULD NOT BE RETRACTED. CAUSED BY IMPROPER TURNOVER OF MAINT WORK. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS RPTR IS A LEAD MECHANIC. AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS SHIFT; HE DIRECTED ANOTHER MECH TO FINISH THE 'OPEN' PAPERWORK. THE CREW THAT HAD WORKED ON THE ACFT 2 SHIFTS EARLIER HAD WRITTEN ON THE JOB CARD THAT THE GEAR PINS HAD BEEN REMOVED. THE MECH ASSIGNED TO FINISH THE 'OPEN' PAPERWORK COMPLETED ALL PAPERWORK AND PERFORMED A WALKAROUND INSPECTION; BUT FAILED TO NOTICE THAT THE CTR GEAR PIN ON THE DC10-30 ACFT HAD NOT BEEN REMOVED. THE GEAR DOOR WAS CLOSED AND THE RED STREAMER WAS NOT VISIBLE SINCE IT HAD BEEN PULLED INSIDE WHEN THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. AFTER THE FLT HAD DEPARTED FOR YYY; THE FLC WAS UNABLE TO RETRACT THE CTR GEAR. THEY COORDINATED WITH THE DISPATCHER WHO MADE A QUICK CALCULATION ON FUEL FOR THE NEW AIRSPD LIMITATION (GEAR EXTENDED). THE ADDED FLT TIME ONLY AMOUNTED TO 40 MINS SO THE FLC CHOSE TO KEEP ON GOING AS OPPOSED TO DUMPING FUEL AND RETURNING TO LAND. RPTR COMMENTS THAT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE 'NEVER ASSUME' ITEMS -- THAT THE GEAR PIN REMOVAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY VERIFIED. THE MAJORITY OF THE FLEET ARE DC10-10 WHICH DO NOT HAVE THE CTR GEAR; AND RPTR FEELS THAT THIS WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.