A DC9-32 RETURNED TO THE FIELD DUE TO MULTIPLE SYS FAILURES CAUSED BY THE NOSE GEAR GND SHIFT LINKAGE DISCONNECTED.

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A DC9-32 ACFT PERFORMED AN AIR TURNBACK AFTER HVY MAINT INCLUDING: FULL C-CHK; L-HAND ENG CHANGE; SEVERAL CORROSION CARDS; A NOSE LNDG GEAR CHANGE AND FUNCTIONAL CHKS AND A 121 HR A-CHK INSPECTION. I PERFORMED THE C-CHK CLOSE AND FIND CLOSE WALKAROUND AFTER ALL ROUTINE ITEMS AND NONROUTINE ITEMS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AS BEING COMPLETE. I SIGNED THE AIRWORTHINESS TO RELEASE THE ACFT TO SVC. THE CAUSE OF THE AIR TURNBACK WAS A DISCONNECT GND SHIFT LINKAGE CAUSING MANY SYS NOT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY INFLT. THE FINAL CLOSE WORK CARDS ONLY SPECIFY DOORS AND PANELS AND DOES NOT CALL OUT FOR ANY LINKAGE. IT IS AT THIS TIME UNDETERMINED HOW OR WHY THE LINKAGE WAS DISCONNECTED SOMETIME AFTER IT WAS SIGNED OFF AS BEING DONE VERY EARLY ON IN THE NOSE LNDG GEAR CHANGE PAPERWORK. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CARRIERS AS WELL AS WITH US. A SUGGESTED SOLUTION TO THIS POTENTIAL RECURRENCE IS TO INCLUDE THIS IN OUR OWN COMPANY INSPECTION PROGRAM AS HAVING THIS LINKAGE AS A FINAL SIGNOFF TO ALL OF OUR INSPECTIONS FROM SMALL TO MAJOR INSPECTION PROCS.