THE NOSE GEAR ON A CL65 WOULD NOT RETRACT AFTER TKOF RESULTING IN THE FLC'S RETURN TO THE ARPT. INSPECTION AFTER LNDG REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR PIN HAD NOT BEEN REMOVED.

Narrative

AFTER AN OVERNIGHT; AN AIRLINE CREW RPTED TO THE ARPT TO FLY A SHIFT. PRIOR TO TKOF; A COMPLETE PREFLT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE FO. NO NOSE GEAR PIN FLAG WAS VISIBLE; AND IT WAS ASSUMED TO BE REMOVED. AFTER TKOF THE NOSE GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT NORMALLY. AN ATTEMPT TO CYCLE THE GEAR WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. A DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO BTM FOR INSPECTION. THE FLC REFERRED TO THE QRH AND WTS; SPDS AND RWY CONSIDERATIONS AND CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED. AFTER A NORMAL LNDG THE FLC FOUND THAT THE NOSE GEAR PIN WAS NOT REMOVED. THE FLC SUSPECTS THAT THE PIN FLAG MAY HAVE BEEN BLOWN UP BY WIND DURING THE NIGHT AND NOT VISIBLE DURING A PREFLT INSPECTION. THE PIN IS NOT LARGE AND IS THE SAME COLOR AND MATERIAL OF THE SURROUNDING AREA. THE PIN WAS REMOVED; DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL WAS NOTIFIED. MAINT CTL SAID THAT NO MAINT INSPECTION WAS REQUIRED. THE FLC RECEIVED A NEW RELEASE AND MANIFEST. THE CREW CONTINUED TO SLC WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE LESSONS LEARNED: GEAR PINS MAY NOT HAVE FLAGS ATTACHED; GEAR PIN HOLES MAY NEED TO BE FELT AS WELL AS HAVE A CLOSE VISUAL INSPECTION; AND PREFLTS MAY BE DELEGATED TO THE FO; HOWEVER; THE CAPT IS STILL RESPONSIBLE. THIS LAST POINT; WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION AND CARE ON BEHALF OF PICS WHO RELY ON COPLTS WHO CONDUCT PREFLTS OR ANY OTHER FUNCTIONS AS A FLC MEMBER -- SAFETY AND LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 341017: THE FLAG WAS FOUND FOLDED AND TORN BEHIND THE NOSE STRUT; WELL INSIDE WHEELWELL. RAMPER DID NOT SEE FLAG ON ORIGINAL TAXI OUT. POSSIBLE SOLUTION -- VERIFICATION OF PIN REMOVAL BY CAPT PRIOR TO FLT.